Fate x stay night: Future Sight
by Archdemon Slayer
Summary: An alternate route for Fate/stay night: Angra Manyu. - Lancer stopped laughing and looked at Akiko seriously. "Yer not a normal mage, are ya?" Akiko looked away. She had a feeling he would mention that before too long. After all, he deserved to know what was going on with his Master. "No. I have mystic eyes."
1. Day 1

**A dream with very messed-up details gave me the inspiration for this story. I also mention the OSTs that go with each scene. You'll see similarities between this and Fate/stay night: Angra Manyu, especially in the intro except for some small changes like things added or taken out. It's another way it could've gone, just like the Fate routes.**

 **Akiko has different abilities, and once again Servants are unable to shift into spirit form.**

* * *

[Church on the Hill]

The Holy Grail War. Every sixty years, it would choose seven mages to be Masters. Each would summon a Heroic Spirit known as a Servant to fight for them. The seven Servants would fall into one of the seven classes.

Saber.

Lancer.

Archer.

Caster.

Rider.

Berserker.

Assassin.

Once the seven Masters have been chosen, a fight to the death between each pair of Masters and Servants occur in Fuyuki. The last pair left standing is allowed a wish to be granted by the Grail. A member of the Church is sent there to oversee the battle. However, the previous Holy Grail War was incomplete. The fifth will begin in Fuyuki now, ten years later...

[End OST]

* * *

[Midnight Interval]

Images of a massive fire filled the vision of Akiko Hashomoto. People all around her were screaming. The building she and her parent were next to fell apart, the wall coming down on them. The family of three broke into a run forward, trying to evade it. The wall hit the ground and shook it. Akiko's eyes widened and she was even more aware of how hot it was.

"Akiko!" her parents cried out.

We need to get out of here as soon as possible! Those thoughts filled her head, but she found herself unable to move. The heat was stifling, making it hard to breath. Above them, a ring of blue was in the sky.

[End OST]

Akiko jolted up in bed, breathing hard. Her sky-blue eyes were wide and strands of her long silver hair clung to her face because of the sweat covering it. She looked around wildly. No fires or people screaming for help. It was all a dream. Near her, her alarm went off. It was set for 7:00 for school. She reached over and flipped it off.

Sighing, Akiko slipped out of bed and put on her Homurahara Academy uniform, which consisted of a white shirt with red cuffs. Over it was a light brown button-up tunic and over the collar was a red ribbon tied into a bow. Bellow was a black skirt. White socks went almost to her knees. On her feet were a pair of brown shoes. She stood at 168 cm (5' 6"), making her one of the tallest girls at the school. She was also an honor's student. She wasn't involve in sports or other school clubs, but she was friends with Ayako Mitsuzuri.

[Tender Scenery]

Looking at herself in the mirror in the room, she headed out into the hall. The room was fairly large. A king-sized bed was on the far left wall with a nightstand to its left with a lamp and alarm clock right on top of it. Across from the bed was a couch. To the left of it was a large cabinet with a T.V. in the top space. To the right of the couch was a vanity. Two columns of drawers, three down for each, held her clothes. To the right of it was the doorway out. A little bit of wall turned into a corner, where the closet was. Right beside it was the mirror, and near it was the door leading to the bathroom. On the wall to the left of the nightstand was a large window. Even though the lights weren't on, the red paint over the walls could be seen easily.

The hall was a straight path leading to the living room. The walls were grey and three other doors littered them. Across from the bedroom was what Akiko calls the "study room." Inside of it, the walls were white. On the far back wall were two windows. In between them was a desk with a lamp on it. A single chair was pushed in so the seat was under the table. At the far left wall was another desk with a computer on it.

A little to the right of that doorway led to the doorway of another bathroom. Like the one in the bedroom, it had a shower on the back wall with a sliding frosted glass door over the front of it. On the left wall near the shower was a toilet and a clock was on the opposite wall. At the part of the left wall closest to the door was a sink with a mirror over it. However, the mirror over the sink in the other bathroom was on the door to the medicine cabinet.

The last door was on the right wall close to the end of the hallway. This one seemed to have bookshelves on all of the three walls, but the one against the back wall had a secret. By removing a certain book, a button in the wood and colored like it was exposed and level with the top of the wood. Pressing it makes the bookshelf move to the left and expose another door. Inside ;ed to stairs that went to a room underground. It was the area Akiko uses to practice magic. There was a bookshelf filled with texts on the subject, as well as things to help her train at the magic she already has.

Akiko stepped onto the brown carpeting of the living room. On the far left wall was a small hallway with a closet and the front door. To the girl's right was a couch up against one of the walls. It was covered in brown material and had a red blanket folded up on one of the cushions. On the other side of it was three pillows. On the wall to the outside, a similar couch was up against that wall with a giant window behind it and a table with a lamp to the right of it. In the middle was a rug. On the last was was a table with a T.V. Over it was a clock. To the left of it was the entryway into the kitchen and near it was a bookshelf.

The kitchen seemed to stretch to the right. Against the back wall was a stove, sink, refrigerator, and cabinet. A window was on the wall over the sink. Near the far right end was a square table with a chair at each of the four ends. On that wall was a sliding glass door to the outside. Akiko opened the closet and pulled a black jacket from a hanger before heading out the door.

During school, she was looking forward to tonight and barely heard the teachers during their lectures. She was going to be a participant in the Fifth Holy Grail War. A friend of hers in the Mage's Association, Bazett Fraga McRemitz, was in Ireland and was sending her a relic to use as a catalyst. The package was to arrive today. A few weeks ago, her Command Seals appeared. The Command Seals on the back of her right hand seemed to have a red hollow diamond with the left and right sides were curved. On either side were two shapes that formed a U. The insides were smooth but the outsides had spikes curving up. The bottoms came out and looked like a greater than and less than sign facing out.

When she got home, she saw a package on her front step. It was from Ireland, so it had to be from Bazett. She took it inside. Inside the package would be the relic to summon the last thing she needed.

Her stomach growled, so she went to the kitchen and fixed herself something to eat. She sat down at the table to eat, placing the package right in front of the plate. Once she finished, she picked the package up again after putting her plate in the sink.

[End OST]

She went outside and found the two pigs she had bought the other day and were in a pen in her backyard. She had to lure them over to her with food to get them to move. She led them into her house and opened the secret room. As soon as they were in, she hit a button to close the bookshelf, trapping them in the room. She led them down the stairs and blocked their way back up them with her body. She set the package down on the table near her and quickly grabbed a knife. She swooped down and grabbed one of the pigs, slitting its throat. She hated doing this, but she had to. The other squealed and ran up the stairs, but Akiko wasn't paying any attention to it. She careful got the blood to start forming the summoning circle. When the pig ran out of blood, she set it to the side of what she currently made of the summoning circle and looked for the other. It was at the top of the stairs, oinking at the back of the bookshelf. She grabbed it, going back down the stairs before slicing its throat open. She traced the rest of the summoning circle with it. When she was done, she place the dead pig next to the other.

[Footsteps of Destruction]

Inside of the circle were several symbols, looking like letters, around two slanted squares that formed an 8-pointed star. Four of the points were completely filled in. In between each point was a symbol. Four of them were surrounded by a circle.

Akiko went over to the table where she had placed the package and opened it. Inside was a black box. And inside it was a silver earring. This was one of the relics the Mage's Association kept. However, there was no mention about which hero it's from. Oh well. All that mattered to Akiko was partially how strong it is, but mostly whether or not she would be able to get along with it.

With everything done, she was ready to summon a Heroic Spirit to be her Servant in the Holy Grail War. She stood on the outside of the circle and held her right hand out toward it. This would be it. The last thing she would need to hopefully survive the War.

"With silver and iron as the foundation, close the four gates and follow the forked road leading to the kingdom. Fill and fill and fill and fill and fill. Destroy each of those five. Hear me. My will creates your body and your sword creates my destiny! If you heed the Grail's call and surrender yourself to my will and my reason, answer me! And with your answer, my fate rests with you! I swear to be all the good in the world and to destroy all that is evil! Seventh heaven clad in the great words of power, guardian of the scales, come forth!"

Wind was whipping Akiko's hair and bright white light came from the circle when she finished the incantation. The light was blinding and a cloud of mist came from the circle next. The light faded and the mist thinned, allowing Akiko to see what was in the center of the circle.

[End OST]

It was a man. The first thing Akiko noticed about him were his eyes. The irises were red like blood and the pupils were slitted. The next thing that caught her attention was his hair. It was azure and short at the top. The bottom was long and held in a golden clasp at the base of his skull. Long, silver earrings dangled from his ear lobes. His suit was cobalt with silver lines. The body suit hugged his body tightly, showing the muscles all over him. He wore a pair of silver metal shoes and shoulder plates looking to be made of the same material. A bestial smell was coming from him.

 _'This is my Servant, my partner for the entire Grail War.'_ Akiko thought.

It took her a moment to realize he was gazing at her until he spoke. "Ya my Master?"

"That's right. I am." She held up her right hand and showing him the back of it as proof. "And you are?"

A two-meter red spear with what looked like red vines wrapped around it materialized in the man's right hand. He rested it on his right shoulder and grinned, showing two small fangs. "I'm a Lancer. My true name is -"

"Let me guess: Cu Chulainn, am I right?" Akiko interrupted. His face fell, his smile vanishing completely.

"Yeah. How'dja know?"

"My friend who gave me your relic never shuts up about you. Even though she didn't tell me which hero it's from, the fact you're a Lancer kinda told me who you were." She also learned from Bazett that "Cu Chulainn" means "Culann's hound". The man seemed to share traits with other animals, like dogs. So that was what also told her who this was.

Lancer smirked. "So she's a fan of mine, is she?"

Akiko glared slightly at him. If he was going to keep pulling the kind of crap she thinks he is, forget about the two getting along. "Don't go wishing she was your Master instead. Like it or not, you're stuck with me."

He laughed. "I know! She just sounds like an interestin' person! I never said she should've been my Master!"

"Good. Then it looks like we can get along."

Lancer stopped laughing and looked at Akiko seriously. "Yer not a normal mage, are ya?"

Akiko looked away. She had a feeling he would mention that before too long. After all, he deserved to know what was going on with his Master. "No. I have mystic eyes."

Lancer looked surprised. "Mystic eyes?! But they look normal enough!"

"That's because they change only when I have a future prediction. And they aren't true ones."

"Whaddaya mean by that?"

"My parents implanted them in me as a way to test whether or not it would be safe for them to do the same for themselves."

"And what happened?"

"When they tried it on themselves, the magic wouldn't hold as well as it did for me. So they ended up not having any mystic eyes while I gained the ability to glimpse the future."

"Wait, so you can see everythin' that has yet to happen? You can see what will happen in this War?"

"Yes and no."

"What does that mean?"

[Whirlpool of Fate 2]

"In the timeline, the present always heads to a set future, right? Wrong. Think of the timeline we are following as the trunk of a tree. The branches would be all the possible futures. This shows that there is no set future for the timeline. Had something been done different, the 'branch' the timeline goes to would be different. The other 'branches' have futures that could have been had things gone different. These are parallel timelines. As long as those exist, I won't be able to see a certain future. Just a possible one. One that will happen as long as events don't change it. And seeing the future happens randomly for me. I don't even have control over when I glimpse it."

[End OST]

Lancer crossed his arms. "In other words, ya can only see a possible outcome of the War."

"Sorry that this wouldn't be more useful."

"No, it is. Usin' yer power will allow us to predict enemy attacks."

"So we need to -" Her eyes widened and she doubled over, clutching her head.

Lancer reached an arm to her. "Ya okay?!"

[Premonition of a Storm]

Akiko grit her teeth and started to fall forward, but Lancer rushed forward and caught her before she hit the ground. A brief image passed through her head. A boy with red hair was running. His face wasn't turned around so that Akiko could see it, but she could at least tell he goes to the same school she does. After all, he wore a male Homurahara Academy uniform. Lancer appeared behind the boy and stabbed him with his spear. And then the image was gone.

[End OST]

Her eyes opened and she looked up at Lancer, just now noticing he was holding her. A faint tinge of pink dusted across her cheeks. "I'm fine now. I just had a vision."

"Of what?"

Akiko shook her head. "It looked like you were killing someone." But who could it be? There were a few boys with red hair at the school. Tomoe Enjou, Shirou Emiya, et cetera. And even if she was able to narrow it down, who knows if she could still stop that future from happening? After all, she doesn't know when it takes place. It could be a day, a week, a month, or even a year from now, depending on how long it takes until the other six Servants are summoned. Then it would happen during the next couple of weeks if it hadn't already happened by then.

[Into the Sunlight]

Lancer helped her stand again. "By the way, what should I call ya? Unless you want me to call ya 'Master' 24/7."

"Oh, right. Yeah, please don't call me Master too often. Every now and then is fine. My name is Akiko Hashomoto."

Lancer put a hand to his chin and grinned. "So yer name is Akiko, huh? At least now I know a name to go along with yer face."

"It'll be a whole lot better than hearing you call me Master all the time."

[End OST]


	2. Day 2 & 3

**This covers Day 2 and 3. I figured updating another chapter with no action would leave you readers bored. I know the wait time was long, but this is double-length to make up for it.**

* * *

Akiko woke up the next morning with a pounding headache. She was in her room. She placed her right hand over her forehead and groaned. "Ugh, what time is it?" She glanced at her alarm clock on the nightstand near the bed. It read 20 minutes to 10. "Shit! I missed going to school!" The summoning the other night drained her of almost all of her mana, so she was a tired mess, or at least felt like one.

She groaned again and pulled the covers off her body before swinging her legs over the side of the bed and stood. She was still wearing her pale blue nightgown and walked like a member of the living dead to the living room where Lancer slept last night. He was up and flipping through channels on the T.V.

"You know how to work the remote?" Akiko asked.

"Yeah, it just took some messin' around with it on my part, though I mostly learned how to use one from the Grail." He set the remote down. The T.V. channel was on a game show. "It's amazin' how far technology's come from my time."

"If how far technology's moved within the last 1,900 years amazes you, then it must be pretty advanced. Technology just a couple years old nowadays is pretty much outdated."

Lancer glanced at her in amazement. "Yer kiddin'!"

"Nope. People are constantly trying to invent new ways to make our lives easier. A new version of something comes out pretty much every year, Lan - Wait, do you want me to call you by your true name or your class name?"

Lancer went back to staring at the T.V. "When it's just the two of us, ya can call me by my true name. But when we're in mixed company, use my class name."

"I knew you'd want to be called Lancer around others to hide your identity from them." Then Lancer flipped to the news. [Light and Darkness] An interesting story was on. Apparently, there was a murder at an intersection near the school. There were no survivors in the family of four. All were found with their bodies torn up.

[End OST]

Lancer glanced at her. "I thought ya should know that yer alarm went off a couple hours ago. When I went into yer room to see where the beepin' I was hearin' was comin' from, I saw you were still sound asleep. I figured ya'd be tired from last night, so I shut it off. That's okay with ya, right?"

"Yeah. Even if I did get up for school, I'd probably be too sleepy to focus," Akiko sighed. She reached for the remote and shut off the T.V. She set it down and looked at Lancer. "Come with me."

Lancer got up. "What for?"

The two walked into the kitchen and Akiko gestured for Lancer to sit in a chair at the kitchen table. "Just wait here," Akiko said after Lancer sat down. He was facing the large glass doors. "I'll make some pancakes." Akiko walked into the back of the kitchen and got ingredients out of the refrigerator and pantry.

[Gentle Everyday]

"Ya sure you can pull off makin' breakfast with how tired you are?"

Akiko began mixing the ingredients in a bowl. She added buttermilk to it. "Don't worry. I'll be fine." Akiko put a skillet on the electric burner and, being half-asleep, accidentally set the temperature on it to high. Then she went to the refrigerator and got out some butter. She got out a butter knife and got a glob of butter on it to slick the surface of the skillet and to add more flavor to the pancakes. Then she got the butter to drop off onto it. It sizzled and oil splashed up, hitting Akiko's arm, the one she wasn't using [1]. She jolted at the sudden pain. "FUCK!"

Lancer shot up out of his seat. "What happened?!"

Akiko was clutching her burned left arm and grimacing. She quickly turned the temperature down to medium. "Dammit! I meant to set the temp at just above medium! Cu Chulainn, take care of this while I put burn cream on my arm!" She began running to the bathroom in the bedroom.

"Do ya even have any?!" he shouted after her. Thanks to both having sharp hearing and their telepathic communication, they could hear each other even on opposite ends of the house.

She threw open the medicine cabinet and dug around for the tube of cream. _'_ _Yeah. I have some just in case I accidentally burn myself with my magic.'_ The burn was hurting like crazy. Akiko finally found the burn cream and looked down at the under side of her left forearm. A couple of centimeters down from her wrist was a small red circle. And the same distance down was the start of an even bigger burn. It was clear that oil hit it in an oval shape before dripping to the left less than a centimeter and going straight down to midway to her elbow and then going straight to the right less than a centimeter. It looked like a C.

She quickly squeezed the tube on the burn to leave a short line of the white cream. Then she set the tube down so she could rub the cream over the rest of the burn with her right hand. Touching the burn hurt, but the cream felt so cool and soothing on her arm. When she had rubbed the cream all over the burn, there was still a large smudge of white on her forearm where she rubbed the cream. Until it soaks in, she had to remember not to accidentally touch anything with it. Otherwise, whatever debris was on it would stick to her forearm.

She suddenly remembered she left the pancakes to Lancer. Worried that he would be lost as to what to do, she began talking, communicating with her Servant. _'Oh, right! You probably don't know what to do, don't you?'_

 _'Don't worry. I may not look it, but I can handle cookin'. I had to cook fer myself on the battlefield all the time. 'Sides, some knowledge I got from the Grail taught me how to cook somethin' as simple as pancakes.'_

Well, that was a relief. It looks like Akiko didn't have to worry about Lancer accidentally setting fire to the house. She went back to the kitchen. Lancer had already finished the first batch of two pancakes. They were stacked on top of each other on a large, white-glassed plate. No burns were on them. Both were a golden-brown. The man was cooking the last two pancakes. There was no more batter in the bowl.

Akiko picked up the bowl, ignoring the sting of the burn on her left arm, and took it to the sink. She turned on the water and began washing the batter residue in it out. "For your first time making pancakes, you're doing well, Cu Chulainn."

He flipped the cooking pancakes. "Like I said, I learned quite a few things to make it in the modern era from the Grail."

Once she was done with the bowl, Akiko let it rest in the sink with the other dirty dishes so she would clean them all together later. Then she got the flour and other ingredients that had already been used for the batter and put them away, along with the butter. "I should have you doing the cooking more often then."

Lancer used the spatula to get the two pancakes on the plate, on top of the other two. "Hey, can't ya also cook?! I don't wanna do somethin' all the time that you can also do!"

Akiko opened a drawer and pulled out an oven mitt. Then she went over to the stove and used it to grab the skillet. She took it over to the sink and washed both sides in cold water to cool it down enough so she could place it with the other dishes in there. "Hey, I'm letting you stay here for free. The least you could do is help out around here!"

Lancer sighed in defeat and took the plate to the table. "Fair enough."

Akiko opened the fridge and took out the bottle of maple syrup. Then she opened a cabinet door and took out two plates. Then she opened a drawer and pulled out two forks and knives.

Lancer glanced at the pancakes as Akiko walked back to the kitchen table, holding everything she got out. "That's a lot of pancakes fer one person. Sure ya can eat 'em all?"

Akiko set the things down on the table. One plate was set where Lancer was sitting. She placed one fork and one knife next to it. Then she did the same at a spot to the right. Then she placed the syrup bottle next to the plate of pancakes. "No. I can only handle three large pancakes."

Lancer looked at her with wide eyes. "Three large ones?!"

Akiko blushed and twiddled her forefingers. "I, uh...like pancakes...a lot..."

Lancer looked down at her slender waist. "How are you not fat then?!"

"I have a high metabolism, and I work out often. I do martial arts, so I practice a lot."

Lancer facepalmed. "Okay, so yer a big eater..."

"Only with pancakes and sweets," Akiko put in.

"...Okay, but how are ya goin' to eat all four? One would be left, right?"

Akiko looked at him before sitting down at the plate to the right of Lancer's spot. "Didn't you see me lay out two plates? I intend to give you two pancakes."

Lancer sat down at his chair, but was still staring at Akiko. "Ya know Servants don't need to eat?"

Akiko stabbed one pancake with her fork and moved it to her plate, then another. Then she drizzled the syrup on them. "Of course I know. But even Servants fight and feel better on a full stomach rather than an empty one, right?"

Lancer got the last two pancakes on his plate and drizzled syrup on them. "I guess yer right."

Akiko started cutting up her pancakes. "Same with sleep. You Servants don't need it to live, but I bet your fighting improves when you feel rested."

Lancer was cutting up his pancakes. "I notice that ya mentioned fightin' in both eatin' an' sleepin'."

Akiko blushed slightly as she took a bite from a pancake. "Sorry. I was thinking about the Grail War, and fighting just came to my head."

"Don't apologize. It's good that yer keepin' in mind of what the War involves us doin'. An' speakin' of the War, what's yer wish if we win?"

Akiko noticed that he said "if" and not "when". It's okay. After all, neither knew how strong the other six Servants would be. They could lose their lives during it. And some of the other Masters could overpower Akiko with their mage abilities.

[End OST]

Akiko knows that Lancer is part of the Three Great Knight Classes in the Holy Grail War. This meant that he should have an advantage as far as strength goes against four other Servant classes, Rider, Caster, Assassin, and Berserker. And even though Rider is hailed as one of the fastest Servants, Lancer's agility rivals them. Depending on the Lancer and Rider summoned, Lancer could be faster than Rider. Or Rider could be faster than Lancer.

"Akiko?"

Unfortunately, the biggest worry is that Lancer is not the only Servant in the Three Great Knight Classes. The other two were Saber and Archer. Archers, while strong, usually fight with a bow. Lancer fights close-range. So as long as Lancer doesn't allow that large of a gap between he and Archer, Lancer should win.

And then there's Saber. That Servant, like Lancer, fights close-range. And their parameters are high, mostly A or B. This means that Lancer will have more of a tough time fighting one. And there is a good chance that he'll lose.

"Hey, earth to Akiko."

[Gentle Everyday]

Lancer was staring at Akiko. Akiko shook her head to get out of her daze. "Sorry about that. I was lost in thought. Did you need something?"

"Ya didn't answer my question. So, what's yer wish?"

"I just want to bring my parents back to life. I'll tell you more later," she added when it looked like Lancer was going to ask her to explain the reason for the wish. "What's yours?"

"I just wanna have a good fight is all. An' the Holy Grail War is perfect fer that!"

Akiko ate another piece of pancake, silent, expecting him to say more. "...That's it? That's what you want? No wish, just fighting?"

Lancer leaned back against his chair, grinning. "Yep, that's all. It's the only reason I answered yer summons."

"So, you love fighting." Akiko ate another piece of pancake. Only two pieces left. Lancer was already done, which was amazing. Akiko has often been told that she is not only a heavy eater of sweets, but also a fast eater. She figured with how fast she eats, she would be done first. But these pancakes were really good. Lancer did a good job at flipping them at just the right time, not having them rest on the burner long enough to lose most of their flavor, but not soon enough for them to fall apart. "You seem pretty laid-back."

"That's only when I'm not fightin'. Durin' my first life when I was done battlin', my friends would tell me that I looked like a wild animal durin' my fight. And this made 'em wanna stay outta most of it."

Akiko started eating her last piece of pancake. "Yeah, that's the impression of how you fight I got from Bazett when she told me about you. But she also said you have this thing, Riastrad, I think she said, that causes you to attack both friends and foes. I don't know about the other Masters, but I don't wanna be killed by my own Servant."

"Well, she toldja right. I do have that personality quirk. But since I was summoned as a Lancer an' not a Berserker, Riastrad is less likely to come out. So ya don't need to worry."

"Good, because I don't want to spend this whole War making sure my own Servant isn't targeting me."

Lancer grinned at her. "Ya don't need to keep an eye on me fer that." He leaned forward, with his elbows on the table, staring at his Master. "So, tell me more about yer mystic eyes, Like how often do ya see the future?"

"Like I told you last night, it happens randomly for me, without me myself having any control over them. As for the frequency of my predictions, it varies. For example, I may have several in one day and go many days without seeing another. I think I had one while sleeping last night."

"Ya did?!"

Akiko nodded. "Yes. This happens on occasion. The vision will appear in my dreams. Unfortunately, I often mistaken them for dreams, and thus I don't pay them much mind. I am unaware that they are future predictions until they happen. I saw that news story about the household murder in my dream. I figured out it was a future prediction when I saw the same story on the T.V."

"So that's the problem with it, huh?"

Akiko sighed as she stood up from her chair. "It'll be inconvenient during the War if I don't get a vision we really need in time."

"Hey, at least it's somethin' the other Masters won't have! We should consider it a blessin' we have that potential for an advantage at all, regardless of how random yer visions show up."

Akiko picked up her and Lancer's plates. She took them to the sink to rinse them off. "Huh, I guess it's not that bad if you look at it that way." She started walking out of the kitchen. "Now to do something about your clothes."

"What's wrong with 'em?"

"They aren't something to be walking around in public. Now come on so we can find something that fits."

Lancer got up and followed Akiko into the study room. She dug through a box of her dad's old clothes. She threw Lancer a black t-shirt and blue jeans. "Here. Try these on." Akiko stood up. "I'll be in my own room getting changed."

Akiko closed the door to that room behind her and went into her own room. She put on a long black skirt and a red shirt. When she came out, Lancer was already in the hall. He was also wearing her dad's clothes. They were a little too big for him. He was having trouble keeping the pants up. Akiko sighed and got a belt out of her closet and tossed it to him. "Here, put this on."

"Thanks," Lancer said as he fit the belt through the loops around the jeans before running it through the belt buckle.

"Now let's go out into town and find clothes that actually fit you."

[End OST]

[Surrounded by Smiling Faces]

As the two went into town, no one else seemed to notice that Lancer's eyes looked inhuman. After all, the person walking with him looked different from others as well. Not only was she really skinny, she was also really pale - almost completely white. She didn't go out in the sun too often. She mostly practices martial arts or magic inside, or did her favorite stress release, video games. The two went into the first clothing store they encountered with a changing room. The Master and Servant went to the mens' section. Akiko picked a set of clothes a size smaller than her dad's. She tossed them to Lancer.

"Go into the changing room and try those on to see if they fit. If they do, I'll buy them and others that same size for you. If not, we'll keep going down in size until we do find ones that fit. Since my dad's clothes are only slightly too big for you, finding the right ones to fit you shouldn't take too long."

Lancer started walking to the changing room with the clothes. "Got it." He checked in with the changing room attendant to let her know he was occupying one of the rooms and went into a stall. He came out several minutes later of course wearing the clothes of Akiko's dad. After all, the ones he was trying on haven't been bought, so Akiko was glad to see he knew enough about the modern era to know the couldn't just walk out of the store with the clothes without paying for them. "Still too big for me."

"Hmm, try these then." Akiko tossed him a white t-shirt and black pants. He took them back into the changing room. That's when Akiko noticed a girl with black hair and green eyes who just went out of the girls changing room staring at the Servant. And it was a look that meant she was planning to ask him out as soon as the man came out again.

[End OST]

"Ooh, he's handsome," she said. "Is he single?"

"Flirt with him and I'll kick. Your. Ass. Bitch!" Akiko snarled at her, glaring daggers.

The girl smirked and put her hands on her hips. "What? Do you have dibs on him already?"

Akiko blushed. She was trying to convince even herself that she needed him close for the Holy Grail War. Not because she secretly thought he was attractive or really nice. "Of course not!"

"Then there shouldn't be a problem here. Besides, I can't see him wanting to date a scrawny, vamp -"

"I'LL KILL YOU!" Akiko roared as she tackled the girl to the ground. The two began rolling around on the floor, punching each other and pulling hair. Then the door to the changing room opened and Lancer came out. He was carrying the clothes that he tried on.

"Okay, these ones fit -" Then he saw his Master wrestling around on the ground with another chick. "Whoa, what's goin' on?!" He reached down and managed to wrench them apart. "Cut it out!"

Both girls stood and glared at each other, panting. Their hair was a frizzy mess, like they had just gotten out of bed. "I'm not about to give him up to a worthless skank like you!" Akiko panted.

"Who are you even talkin' about?!" Lancer exclaimed.

Akiko grabbed his wrist. "Nobody you need to worry about. Let's just pay for the clothes and get the hell out of here!"

"What about other clothes?!"

"We'll come back some other time to get them! Let's go!"

"Wait, ya mind tellin' me what you two were fightin' about?!"

The other girl was glaring at Akiko. "This isn't over!"

Akiko hurriedly paid for the clothes and rushed out of the store, dragging Lancer behind her. She took him straight to her house and plopped down on the couch. "Damn, fighting her was tiring! That bitch just didn't know when to quit!"

"I'll ask again: _what_ were ya fightin' about?!"

"Nothing you need to know!"

* * *

The next morning, Akiko woke up when her alarm clock went off to go to school. She yawned and rubbed her eyes before sliding out of bed. She went to the living room. Lancer was sleeping on the couch again. He was wearing nothing but his boxers to sleep in. Akiko blushed when she saw the toned muscles on his abdomen, chest, and arms.

As Akiko approached to wake him, Lancer opened one red eye before she got next to him to wake him with most likely a harsh method. "It time fer ya to go to school?"

Last night, she explained to him it's something she does five days out of the week. Lancer agreed for her to continue going throughout the rest of the War, but on one condition. He goes with her to keep her safe. He doesn't want her getting killed and he himself vanishing without having had a single fight. She told him fine, but he couldn't actually go into the building with her. He'll have to keep a lookout in the trees near the school.

[Tender Scenery]

Once they ate, they headed to Homurahara Academy. Once the building came into sight, Lancer broke away from his Master and hid in the trees. Right when Akiko was about to go into the school building, a girl with brownish-orange hair and gold eyes, Ayako Mitsuzuri, walked up to her.

"Hey, I didn't see you at school yesterday. Did something happen?"

"Nothing major. I just felt sick yesterday. Didn't wanna risk getting everyone else sick as well."

"Huh, that's what Tohsaka said too."

"Was she also sick."

"Yeah. She skipped school yesterday too."

This got Akiko's attention. She knew the Tohsakas were a mage family. So were the Matous, but they didn't possess strong enough magic circuits to produce a mage, much less a Master. But the reason Rin missed school yesterday might be the same reason as Akiko's. She may have been chosen as a Master and summoned a Servant the same night Akiko summoned Lancer.

"Hey, Hashomoto, ya still there?" Ayako was gazing right into Akiko's eyes, her face right up to the Master's. They were so close that a little shove to either girl would be enough to make them kiss. And Akiko was certain Lancer wouldn't stop laughing until three or four days later if that happened.

Akiko took a step back. "Sorry, I was just thinking."

Ayako retracted her face. "Well, it is a little strange. You and Tohsaka rarely get sick."

That was true. Akiko possesses an unusually high immune system. The last time she got sick was three years ago. Akiko didn't know about Rin, but the teen was probably the same.

"Hey, we're human, aren't we? So it means that Tohsaka and I are liable to get sick."

"Yeah, I guess you have a point. We'll if I'm not doing maintenance in the archery room, I'll see you at lunch." Ayako began walking to the building.

"I'm sure Emiya would be glad to do that for you," Akiko called after her. Ayako stopped and turned the top half of her body, looking at Akiko behind her.

"I don't usually do that. Shinji does. It seems Emiya's in over his head helping everyone with every little thing. I don't want to force more work on him. Besides, he's doing something for the student council president at lunch." The bell rang. "Oops, we'd better get going. We don't want to be late for class. Well, see you later, Hashomoto!"

Akiko knows she always makes it to class with plenty of time left before the tardy bell goes off. [2] Once Ayako was gone, most everyone was trying to get to their classes on time. So Akiko found this to be a perfect chance to whisper telepathic messages to Lancer. _'Hey, I think a girl at my school, Rin Tohsaka, is a Master and has already summoned her Servant. So we're going to lure her out.'_

 _'How are we gonna do that?'_

 _'Let out mana. If she's a Master, she'll investigate it. If not, she'll ignore it.'_

 _'But if she is one, won't her Servant come in her place just to be safe?'_

 _'No. I know her. If another Servant is out there, she won't believe it unless she sees it with her own eyes. She'll wait until night to investigate, when even those in clubs would have gone home. And this will also tell us if she has a Servant here.'_

 _'How will it?'_

 _'Just take a moment to picture yourself as a Master. You wouldn't want to risk going against an enemy Servant without one of your own, would you?'_

 _'I guess yer right. But letting out mana will mean me takin' more from you to compensate. Ya okay with that?'_

 _'Don't worry. It'll be fine. Now, I need to go.'_

Akiko cut off the conversation and went into the building. She made it to class just as the tardy bell went off. First was Mr. Kuzuki. He had black hair and hard black eyes behind a pair of glasses. He wore a dark green suit over a white shirt, which had a black tie around the collar.

As Mr. Kuzuki was talking, Akiko glanced at Rin, who was sitting in a desk near a window in the back. Could she really be a Master? Suddenly, the classroom didn't feel as safe anymore. It felt like something heavy was pressing down on Akiko. Then a headache came. Akiko bent down so that her head was right over her desk. No one else paid any attention. After all, Akiko told them she suffers from chronic headaches. A vision passed across her eyes, which were squeezed shut. Ms Fujimura was coming into the classroom, skipping, before tripping and falling on the floor.

Just as Akiko opened her eyes, Mr. Kuzuki left the room. A few moments later, Ms. Fujimura came skipping into the classroom. The fall didn't hurt her, it was just comical. So Akiko didn't try to stop what was going to happen next.

Sure enough, the teacher tripped and hit her face on the floor. About 95% of the classroom broke into laughter. Rin groaned in annoyance and Akiko sighed. Ms. Fujimura got to her feet, angry that she had just humiliated herself in front of the entire classroom. Luckily, she didn't take it out on the classroom by giving everyone a pop quiz, but she did give everyone in the room the stink eye the entire time she was there.

Then the bell rang for lunch period and Ms. Fujimura left the room, still grumbling curses over what happened to her. Akiko took out her bagged lunch and got up from her desk, going over to Ayako's. But the shorter teen was also getting up. She faced Akiko.

"Sorry, it looks like I was right about the dojo. It does need maintenance. It looks like you'll either have to find someone else to have lunch with, or eat alone today."

"Don't worry about me," Akiko replied. "I already have a plan B in case this happened. I'll go to the roof to eat instead."

"Good that you have another plan. Again, sorry about this."

"Don't worry. You did warn me this morning that this could happen."

"Thanks for being understanding about this." Ayako headed for the door. "Well, see ya later, Hashomoto!"

Once Ayako left the room, Kaede Makidera made her move. She had tan skin, black hair, and was wearing a female Homurahara Academy uniform.

"Hey, Hashomoto! Why don't you eat over here?!"

Akiko and Kaede weren't the best of friends. At least for Akiko. Kaede didn't seem to know that. Akiko just thought of them as two classmates. Kaede and her two friends as well.

"Sorry, Makidera, but I already made up my mind to go to the roof to eat."

Kaede stuck her lower lip out like she was pouting. "You always make up excuses when I invite you to eat with us."

"Sorry. Maybe tomorrow if Mitsuzuri's busy again." Akiko left the classroom before Kaede could say anything else. In the hall, Akiko ran into a headache.

"Eating alone again, Hashomoto? If you'd like, you can eat with me."

It's Shinji Matou. He was a boy in the same grade as Akiko. He had wavy blue hair and blue eyes. And Akiko didn't like him one bit.

Akiko huffed and turned her head away from him, holding her chin high. "Sorry, Shinji, but if I had to choose between eating alone and eating with _you_ , I'd prefer eating alone."

Shinji growled. " _What_ did you say, Hashomoto?!"

"You hit on Tohsaka two days ago and I hear she turned you down hard." She turned her head so that she was looking right at Shinji. "I'm with her on the matter of you, and you're lucky we're in school right now. If this were anywhere else, I would have punched you to the ground by now. Do what you do best and slither back to the archery range to stick your face in someone else's ass."

Smirking, she left a fuming Shinji behind and went up the stairs to the roof. The breeze blowing through her hair as soon as she opened the door felt nice. She sat down next to the water tower and started eating. Lancer's voice broke into her head.

 _'I see yer safe fer now.'_

 _'Well, of course I am. No sane Master would attack me in front of a bunch of people.'_

It was a rule not just for the Holy Grail War, but regarding any mage activities. Non-mages couldn't be witness to anything magic-related, be it spells or even Servants when they aren't trying to blend in. After all, Servants were given form in this world by magic. If anyone who isn't a mage witnesses something like this, they must be silenced. Several mages have the ability to wipe a person's memory, erasing their knowledge of seeing something magic-related. For those mages without that power, they instead kill the witness to prevent information about mages spreading to commoners. And if it was the Holy Grail War, kill is most likely, even for other mages. This is a way to eliminate any potential Masters.

 _'Don't worry. I'm safe here,'_ she continued.

 _'I dunno. Suppose a Master was plannin' to kill everyone in the school, all at once, just to get rid of you?'_

 _'Oh my God! Just thinking about that makes me sick! Don't mention something like that again!'_

 _'Sorry, Akiko. But we can't rule that out.'_

 _'If it we're up to me, someone who would kill a bunch of outsiders just to eliminate a Master doesn't deserve to be called one!'_

 _'But that's just you. Suppose a Master was so desperate to win that they'd resort to somethin' like that.'_

Maybe he's right. After all, each Grail War has been more savage and brutal than the last. Who know what horrors will be in this one?

 _'...Fine. Continue to observe the school from the outside. I'll keep an eye on the inside.'_

 _'Got it. At least yer playin' it safe now.'_

 _'And, since you're taking more mana from me, I assume you're letting some out?'_

 _'Some. Not a lot. Just enough to rouse that lass' suspicions.'_

 _'Good. Keep doing that. And once the clubs let out, I'll meet you up here when the trap worked.'_

Akiko and Lancer cut off their communication to each other for now. When the bell for the end of lunch period rang, Akiko went back to class. She kept an eye on Rin. So far, the teen has made no suspicious movements, but she may have already told her Servant her plan for after school, given that she's already sensed the mana Lancer was letting out.

[End OST]

Then the bell for the end of the regular school day rang. Ayako, who had already come back to class after lunch period got up and went over to Akiko.

"Hey, Hashomoto, wanna hang out tonight?"

Akiko turned her head to look at her. "Sorry, but I've got plans tonight." Big ones, if she's right and Rin has a Servant too, most likely also at the school. If so, then this would turn into a fight between that Servant and Lancer. "What about archery practice? I thought you had it today."

Ayako scratched her head. "Sadly, I didn't finish cleaning the dojo. It's too messy to train in."

"I thought you did during lunch. Is there a lot to be cleaned?"

"Yeah."

"Then wouldn't you have to stay here and finish?"

"No. Shinji was acting up. Apparently because you turned him down. Nice job, by the way." Ayako flashed Akiko a grin. "As punishment for his behavior, Ms. Fujimura is making him finish cleaning the dojo. She was still mad about her little 'accident' in class today. But knowing Shinji, he'll weasel his way out of it by making Emiya do the work."

Huh. Even if that was the case, Shirou should be finished by the time the other clubs let out. If there wasn't a lot of cleaning left to be done, then Shirou should be finished before the possible fighting breaks out.

"Well, anyway, see you tomorrow, Mitsuzuri."

"Yeah, see ya!"

Akiko pretended to be leaving the school too, following behind Ayako. But when Ayako was far enough away, Akiko turned and headed back into the school. She hid in an empty classroom until night fell any everyone in clubs left the school. The second stage of the plan would happen soon.

 _'It seems the lass came up here after all.'_

That was the cue. Akiko left the classroom and went up the stairs to the roof. When she opened the door to it, she saw Lancer standing in front of the water tower with his spear out. Facing him was Rin.

Akiko spoke up. "It looks like you fell for our little trap." She looked around. "Where's your Servant? I assume you have already summoned one, right? I know you wouldn't be stupid enough to investigate the mana without one nearby."

Rin scowled at Akiko. "So you're also a Master, huh? It never crossed my mind that a fellow classmate of mine would be a Master, my enemy."

"You shouldn't assume that you are safe among your classmates."

"Yeah, I got that now."

"Then you know what's coming next, right?" Akiko said and nodded. Lancer got his lance ready.

Rin smirked. "You're going to try to kill me, huh? Sorry, but that's not going to happen so easily. You see, you'll have to get through my Servant first." Then Rin turned around and broke into a run, mana in her legs. Then she leaped over the fence at the end of the roof.

Akiko crossed her arm. "So she DOES have a Servant." She looked at Lancer. "You ready for a fight?"

Lancer grinned, showing his fangs. "'Course I am!"

Akiko nodded. "Good. Then let's go."

[Into the Night]

He held her so she was on the left side of him, his left arm around her waist. She wrapped both arms around his chest. Then they took off for the fence Rin jumped over. Lancer leaped over the fence and landed on his feet on the ground even after the four-story drop. On the ground he let go of Akiko and she ran far to the right of Lancer as to not get caught up in his attacks.

Rin was on the other side of the campus grounds. A couple meters in front of her was a man facing Lancer. He had tan skin, steely grey eyes and silver hair. He wore a black top under a red mantle. A pair of black pants were worn with red cloth hanging down from the sides and back, from the rim of his pants. In his left hand was a black sword, with the blade slightly curved. This must be Rin's Servant. But which class was he?

Lancer seemed to be studying the other Servant. "A sword...but somethin' tells me ya aren't a Saber. An' I don't think yer the proper single-combat type. So that must mean yer an Archer."

"An Archer?!" Akiko exclaimed. "Then shouldn't he be fighting with a bow instead?!"

Lancer growled in frustration. "That's what I can't figure out...Archer! Where's yer bow?!"

Akiko sighed. "There's probably a reason he has a sword and yet falls into the Archer class. My intuition tells me we need to kill him before we find out the hard way. Lancer! Fight as you will! Go wild, for all I care!"

"I thought from his weapon that your Servant is a Lancer," Rin said. "That makes him a Servant in the Three Great Knight Classes. And since my Archer is also one, I suspect a huge fight will break out." She took several steps back. "Archer! Defeat Lancer!"

Archer smirked and seemed to vanish, the ground where he was cracking.

[End OST]

[Clashing Souls]

"Here he comes!" Lancer shouted and positioned his lance diagonally in front of his body. In that instant, Archer reappeared in front of Lancer, slashing down with his sword. Lancer's feet broke into the ground below as he snarled, resisting the force of the blow. Then the man knocked the sword up with a flick of his lance, throwing up pieces of the ground into Archer's face. In the same movement, Lancer stabbed at Archer's neck. Archer blocked the spear to his right as he sidestepped to the left of it, black blade throwing up sparks in a shower as the man slid past it to be face-to-face with Lancer. At the same time, Archer elbowed the other man with such force that Lancer flew back. He landed on the ground on his back several meters away.

A second later, Archer vanished and appeared over Lancer. He stabbed the sword down at Lancer's head. Lancer knocked the sword to the side with Gae Bolg and kicked Archer in the gut. The man tumbled back several meters before ending up on his feet, digging them into the ground to stop himself.

Lancer got up in an instant and vanished, slashing his spear sideways over Archer's head. But with only his right hand. As expected, Archer ducked and slashed at the abdomen Lancer left exposed on purpose. He took a step back to avoid the blow and grabbed the blade with his left hand. Blood from the cut trickled onto the black steel, with some of the liquid dripping onto the ground. The blade had been stopped completely.

Lancer grinned. "Gotcha."

But Archer figured it was going to be a trap. No Servant would leave an opening like that, much less a member of the Three Great Knight Classes! As Lancer crushed the blade, slashing down at an angle at the right side of Archer's neck, Archer released his hold on the handle of the sword and shifted far back, almost like he was gliding over the ground. Dust flew up when the tip of the spear hit the ground hard.

Lancer chuckled darkly. "Good reaction. Had ya been a moment too late to retreat, I would've taken yer head off! He crouched like an animal ready to pounce. He held his spear in the position for stabbing. Where he held with his left hand was slick with blood. "But now ya don't have a weapon! Yer life is as good as mine!" He charged at Archer, ready to end the fight. Archer didn't move, as if accepting his imminent death.

"Archer!" Rin cried. Archer's lips moved, forming words. Lancer was right in front of Archer, stabbing forward at the man's head. A light flashed from each of Archer's hands and the spear was knocked over the man's head. Under the spear were two crossed swords. One was the black one. But the other was like a copy with a white blade instead. Archer knocked the spear off them. While the tip was in the air, Archer slashed at Lancer's neck with both swords. Lancer tsked and backflipped, taking the spear back with him.

The two were now the same distance apart as when the fight started. "Two swords?!" Lancer growled. "What's goin' on?! I broke yer sword!"

"I wouldn't let my guard down if I were you, Lancer," Archer said. He raised both swords right in front of his chest and crossed them. "After all, we're still fighting." He vanished as he took off at Lancer. He reappeared in front of the man and slashed forward, the left sword going for his neck and the right one aimed for his face. Lancer held his lance up vertically to block both.

Lancer smirked, despite the pressure being put on the shaft of Gae Bolg, sparks flying from the blades of both swords. "Heh, who says I dropped my guard?" Lancer used the spear to push the swords slightly back. Then, without missing a beat, stabbed it at Archer's chest. Archer jumped back, avoiding the attack entirely, Or so he thought.

A line of the cloth over Archer's right bicep was sliced, revealing a cut, shallow but still deep enough for blood to trickle down. He glanced briefly down at the cut. "I thought I dodged it."

"I guess not fast enough!" Lancer said, grinning. He positioned Gae Bolg on the left side of his body, tip pointing to the ground. "Now I'll kill ya!" The two exchanged blocks and blows. Some of the blows from Lancer shattered Archer's sword. But the man would take a step back from Lancer and a new one would materialize in that hand. Then Lancer stopped, jumping back from Archer.

[End OST]

"That was 27. I disarmed ya that many times, an' yet ya seem to have another sword to replace the one ya lost! Is yer supply of weapons infinite?! If so, we could be doin' this fer days!"

"What's the matter, Cu Chulainn? Aren't you going to attack?" Archer asked, lowering his swords.

"How the fuck did ya figure out my identity?! I haven't even used my Noble Phantasm yet!" Lancer exclaimed, glaring at Archer.

"Your skill with a spear and your speed told me who you were."

"Heh." Lancer changed his stance. His body was turned to the right, holding Gae Bolg with both hands to his right side. The tip of the crimson spear was pointed to the ground. "Since ya already know my true name, then there's no reason fer me to hold back now." Red mana burst from the tip, swirling around the whole length of the spear.

This was it. He was going to finish the fight here and now. A Noble Phantasm is a Servant's greatest attack. But the Servants must call out the true name of the Noble Phantasm they're using. As a Noble Phantasm is related to the myth of the hero using it, it reveals their true name. However, since Archer already knows Lancer's true name, he is free to use Gae Bolg. As soon as Lancer calls out the spear's name, it'll be over, since the attack aims for and destroys the heart...

"Who's there?!"

Lancer had suddenly canceled his Noble Phantasm. He was staring in the direction of the archery dojo. And he looked totally pissed. Someone watching the fight from the dojo broke into a run for the school building.

[Nightmare]

Akiko's face felt cold. This must be the vision she saw the night she summoned Lancer. And that means Lancer will -

Akiko turned her head to where her Servant was. Lancer was gone now! If he was gone from here, he was probably going after the person in the school. "Dammit!" She broke into a run for the school building.

 _'Cu Chulainn, where are you?!'_

 _'I'm here on the third floor.'_ He left out the part where he had just speared the lad through the back. The lad had red hair. When he fell down onto the floor in a forming pool of blood, Lancer saw his partially-open eyes were gold.

[End OST]

Akiko was panting as she finally made it up the second flight of stairs. "D...Damn...Did you...two...really...have...to go...this...far.?!" She rounded the corner and leaned against the wall. She saw who it was that was killed. "Shirou...Em...iya...huh?"

Lancer glanced behind Akiko and growled. "I sense Archer comin'! We'd better make ourselves scarce!"

"H-Hey!" Akiko exclaimed. Lancer had just scooped her up bridal style. She hoped Lancer couldn't see her blushing in the darkness. He threw his body at one of the windows in the hall and the glass shattered. His feet hit the outside ground and he turned around, sprinting out of the school grounds.

"How are ya doin'?" Lancer asked as he looked down at Akiko. He was referring to her exhaustion from sprinting without stopping. He didn't mean the face most of her face was red. He wasn't stupid. He knew what it meant and why she was doing it. Akiko was blushing.

"Y-Yeah..." She kept blushing even when Lancer arrived at Akiko's house, opened the door, walked to the living room, and set her down on the couch.

"Now, you stay right here an' wait fer me to return."

"Why?"

"The lad's alive. I'm gonna finish the job."

"What?! Why?!"

"Ya know why! He's an outsider! Rules say for him to be silenced! Look, I'm not all that thrilled about this either!" Without waiting for Akiko to reply, he ran out the door. Following the lad's presence, he came to a Japanese-styled house.

Lancer sighed. "Let's get this over with." He broke through the glass walls of one hallway and went straight for the room where he was feeling the kid. He burst through the door and stabbed at the head of the lad. He must have sensed Lancer, because he rolled to the right just in time, his body hitting a table and knocking a couple of rolled-up posters on the floor. The lad grabbed one and stood facing Lancer, holding the poster in both hands like a sword.

"Trace on," the boy said. "Component materials strengthening."

[Footsteps of Destruction]

Lancer sighed. "Paper? Really? You expect to be able to ward off my attack with _that_?" He lazily stabbed at the lad's chest. It surprised him that when the lad tried to smack it away with the poster, it sounded like metal hitting the spear. Gae Bolg only ended up shallowly cutting the lad's right arm. "Hmm? Did you just use magecraft to strengthen the paper? If ya have a trick like that, this may prove to be a little fun after all." Lancer swung his spear at the right side of the lad. He allowed it to hit, using the momentum to get through the door and into the hall. He scrambled down it, encountering the hole in the glass Lancer used to get in and jumped through it.

He glanced to his right and Lancer was suddenly right there. He kicked the lad near a shed. He shakily got up and ran into the building. Lancer inwardly groaned. "Pathetic. Grow a set an' face me to try to keep me from killin' ya." He sighed and ran into the shed, stabbing at the lad's turned back. The boy spun around at the last second and unrolled the poster, holding it like a shield. The paper burst from the spear and the lad fell back. Unseen by either, a summoning circle was forming in a corner.

[End OST]

"Well, looks like this is the end fer ya," Lancer said. "The fact yer a mage surprised me. Ya may have been a Master."

"Master?!" the boy demanded. "What are you talking about?!"

Lancer got ready to stab. "It doesn't matter now that yer gonna die."

The lad held his left fist up to his chest. Red marks forming what looked like a three-sectioned sword appeared on the back of it. "No! I won't let it end like this!" Light burst from the circle, blinding both and making Lancer stop his attack to shield his eyes.

"Oh, you have GOTTA be kiddin' me!" Lancer shouted as he blocked something suddenly swung at him. He was knocked back, out of the shed. He lowered his spear from his face, spitting curses. He didn't know how, but the lad somehow managed to summon a Servant of his own.

A bit later, that same Servant leaped out of the shed at Lancer. It was a woman with blonde hair and blue-green eyes. She was wearing a blue dress with metal gauntlet, a plate over her chest, and metal hanging down to cover the sides of her thighs. She was also holding something in both hands. But Lancer couldn't see what it was.

[Clashing Souls]

He held his spear horizontally over his head to block the woman's downward slash. Then her feet hit the ground and the two began exchanging blows. She slashed at Lancer's neck and he ducked then threw a kick at the woman's abdomen. She slashed down at Lancer's right shoulder and he used his spear to block. But that was just so he would direct less power into his kick. She blocked it with one gauntlet-covered arm and the two broke away. Then the two went at each other again. The woman slashed at Lancer's neck at the same time he stabbed forward. While the blonde could see the spear and know how far to move back to dodge, the same wasn't for Lancer. The woman's weapon was invisible, so he had to guess how far to lean back. He felt a sharp sting as his neck was cut shallowly. Then he jumped back.

Lancer snarled at the woman. "Yer a Saber, aren'tcha!? Then is the invisible weapon yer holdin' a sword?!"

Saber smirked. "Maybe it could be, or maybe not. Perhaps I am actually holding an ax. Or a bow. Or maybe a lance just like you."

"Heh." Lancer changed his stance, taking the one for his Noble Phantasm. "Saber, how 'bout callin' it a day? This is our first meetin', after all."

"I refuse to just call it quits! You will die here, Lancer!"

Lancer smirked and mana erupted from his spear. "Yer wrong about that. Yer the one who's gonna die!" He started running forward and Saber held up her weapon to block whatever was coming. "Gae...Bolg!" He made a motion with his spear like he was throwing it, but still held onto the weapon. Instead, a line of red mana as thick as the spear itself came from the tip and went for Saber.

[End OST]

Her memory told her that she blocked the mana and it flew off behind her. And yet, somehow, it was like time restarted and the mana was coming back at her. She tired to block again, but the attack hit her chest. She fell to her knees, clutching the bleeding wound. It was a couple centimeters to the left of her heart. "Impossible! I blocked it and yet it still hit me! Since blocking didn't work, it must reverse cause and effect!"

Lancer growled, holding the spear in both hands. "You managed to avoid a fatal hit from Gae Bolg..."

Saber's eyes widened. "Gae Bolg?! Then you must be Cu Chulainn!"

Lancer tsked. "Two Servants in one night, an' both figured out my true name." Speaking of Servants, Lancer was sensing one coming this way. "Dammit, just when it was gettin' fun..." He turned around and headed for the wall to the street.

"Are you running?!" Saber demanded.

Lancer glanced back over his shoulder. "I'll let ya keep yer life just fer tonight. But if we ever encounter each other in a fight again, yer heart is mine!" With that threat, he leaped on top of the wall and over it, going back to Akiko's house.

As soon as he opened the door, Akiko ran up to him. "What took you so long?!" Then she saw the cut on Lancer's neck. "How much trouble did Emiya give you?!"

Lancer growled softly as he walked inside, plopping down on the couch in the living room. "It wasn't the lad. Damn Servant did this."

"Wait wait wait, back up. A Servant?!"

"You heard me right. It looks like we can add that lad to the list of Masters we need to watch out for."

Akiko facepalmed. "That makes two people in my grade who are Masters. I wonder if anyone else I know is."

* * *

 **[1] Actually happened to me. On June 24, I got a giant burn on my left arm. It was the first time I made pancakes since I was in the hospital. I was used to setting the stove to high since I was boiling water before to make dinner. The butter didn't like high. I relearned the temperature quickly. As of now, I still have it.**

 **[2] I have never gotten a single tardy in middle and high school. I just save talking to others until I'm in my desk and I make it to class in plenty of time.**

 **Btw, the murder scene with the people getting ripped up DID appear in my dreams. Like I said, messed-up details, both dark and just plain weird. And the murders WILL be important later!**

 **Remember to review.**


	3. Day 4

**Sorry for the wait. I had writer's block so I spent it by planning how the rest of the story would play out, specifically the Servants' deaths.**

 **For those that don't know, OST means "Original Soundtrack". It is the background music for scenes and battles in anime and games. The melody you hear during certain parts of a scene is one. You can usually hear these on Youtube. As for the words in between the title of the OST and "end OST" are where the OST plays. "End OST" just means to stop playing that one at that point.**

* * *

[Gentle Everyday]

The next morning when Akiko got up, she found Lancer on the couch in her room. He had slept there last night. He was already awake. He turned his head to his Master.

"Ya going to school today?"

"Of course I am. Is there a reason I shouldn't?"

Lancer rested his chin in both hands, elbows sitting on his legs. He continued to gaze at her with those deep red eyes. "After the fight last night, I wouldn't think ya'd wanna go. After all, two people who go to yer school are Master. An' who knows how many others are as well?"

Akiko slid out of her bed. Her blue nightgown fluttered around her ankles. "By not going, I could be at a greater risk for attack."

"Even at school, yer at risk of an attack."

"Not as great of one."

"Didja forget last night?"

"That was different. First: we started that fight. Second: it didn't happen until even all the clubs were let out. It does look like Shinji had stuck Emiya with cleaning the dojo last night. I hadn't even considered that so much would be left that Emiya would be there until night. It was my mistake about that which led him to seeing us."

"Even so, they know fer sure that yer their enemy. Ya still sure it's a good idea to go?"

Akiko got the uniform out of one drawer. "Of course. Not going will show that I feel guilty about what happened. And I don't. After all, I was only doing what to expect of the War. If Tohsaka and Emiya can't accept that, they should have the Overseer find some way to make them drop out of it." She looked at Lancer. "Anyway, I'll have you near the school to protect me. If I need you in that instant, I'll use a Command Seal."

Lancer sighed. "Fine. Ya can go to school."

"Thanks. I hate having to make up homework I missed." Akiko faced her clothes resting on the bed. "Please leave. I'm gonna get changed."

Lancer got up and materialized his modern clothes on his body in a whirlwind of white mana swirling around it. "Sure thing. I'll make breakfast in the meantime. Want anythin' specific?"

"Just some eggs and bacon," the mage replied.

"'K. I won't have any trouble makin' things that simple." He went out the door and closed it. Akiko pulled her nightgown up over her head to remove it. She put the discarded article of clothing on the ground next to her. Then she put on a pair of underwear and turned around, sitting on the edge of the bed. She began putting on her school uniform, having to stand up to get the skirt up all the way. She went into her room's bathroom and began brushing her hair.

Meanwhile, Lancer was cooking some eggs and bacon. He was whistling softly as they sizzled in each pan. Akiko came out of her room and put her nightgown in the washing machine. Then she sat down at the kitchen table. A few moments later, Lancer finished cooking and got the eggs and bacon on two plates, half of each on each plate. He rinsed off the used pans and placed both and the spatula in the sink. He carried both plates to the table. He sat one on the spot in front of Akiko and the other to the spot to her left, right next to her. He sat down there.

"If you're looking for a job, I can set you up with an interview with my boss when I go to work after school."

Lancer glanced at her, but began cutting up and eating one egg at the same time. "Yeah, I do need somethin' to keep me from gettin' bored when I'm not fightin'. What's the job?"

Akiko took a bite from a strip of bacon. "I work as a waitress in a cafe, Ahnenerbe. They're currently hiring for another waiter. I could recommend you." She cut up an egg. "You interested?"

"Sure. Is it hard?"

"Not really. Though you do have to take orders from customers, you don't need to memorize what they order." She finished off that egg and another. Only one egg was left. "You get a notepad so you can write down their orders."

"Got it. Well, talk to yer boss about me then."

"A word of warning: I don't know how they would do it for men, but the waitress uniform is very degrading to me."

"How?"

Akiko shuddered. "They make me wear a...maid uniform."

Lancer blinked at her. "...That's all? I don't know how long you've been workin' at Ahnenerbe, but I would've though ya'd be used to it by now."

"At first, just wearing it bothered me. But then I did get used to it. But I still get...comments from customers."

Lancer cocked his head slightly to the right. "Comments? What do ya mean?"

Akiko leaned back in her chair slightly. She had just finished eating. She shut her eyes and groaned. "Every now and then I get men asking me innuendos like 'How about I tear down your bed?' and 'You're dirty. I'll help clean _you_ up.'"

Lancer started to laugh and Akiko glared at him. "It's not funny when you're the person being sexually harassed!"

Lancer quieted his laughter quickly. "Sorry. But why not ask yer boss if you can wear a different uniform?"

"You think I haven't already?! I've submitted that request to him a dozen times. And each time he tells me that the cafe isn't changing the uniform because it's helping business!" She growled lightly. "But I also think it may be because seeing me wear that uniform is eye candy for him too. I've considered quitting countless times, but I can't just rely on the money I inherited from my parents to pay for food and other things I need. Plus, no other place is hiring. Or none that I'm aware of."

Lancer set his fork and knife down on the table. He was done too. "Well, maybe if I get the job, seeing me near you will stop those comments from bein' made to you."

Akiko smiled. "Thanks, Cu Chulainn." She got up, taking the plates and the silverware to the sink. If she wasn't ready to fall into bed at the end of her job, she would clean them. She opened the closet near the front door and pulled out her jacket. Even though it was February, it was a warm winter. So she didn't need to wear anything heavy. She tossed Lancer a black jacket that used to belong to her father.

[End OST]

[Tender Scenery]

One they both put them on, they headed out the door and towards Homurahara Academy. The plan was for her not to mention last night to anyone. She went straight home after school yesterday. When the two got near the school building, Lancer broke off from Akiko and went to hide in the trees.

Akiko stepped onto the campus and a cold, dark feeling went down her spine. This wasn't from her being tired. Someone was setting up a bounded field at the school. She would ignore it for now and investigate it later with Lancer. But she had work after school! Oh well. The two could investigate the bounded field tomorrow, when Akiko had more time to tell her boss why she's skipping work. He doesn't know Akiko's parents are dead. So she'll tell him they have plans tomorrow.

She went straight to the room she had class in. Near her classroom, Ayako went up to Akiko.

"Did you hear?"

"Hear what?"

"About the murder yesterday."

Akiko felt the blood drain from her face. Did Shirou tell everyone what happened last night? Or Rin? No. She wouldn't be that stupid.

"Hashomoto?" Ayako asked. Her face was close to Akiko's. "Are you okay? You're looking pale."

Akiko snapped her mind back into reality. She shook her head. "No, I'm fine, Mitsuzuri. I just started to think about something else."

"About the other murder two days ago?"

"Huh?"

The two went into the classroom so they wouldn't be counted as tardy if the second bell went off while they were talking.

"Yeah. It was near the school again."

Akiko mentally breathed a sigh of relief. So then this wasn't about the fight last night.

"No, I didn't hear. What happened?"

The two were walking to Ayako's desk. Ayako sat down.

"This one was weird."

"Weird how?"

[End OST]

[All Evil of the World]

Ayako shook her head. "Last night, a couple in a house went missing."

Akiko cocked her head. "If they went missing, why are they calling it a murder?"

"Blood was found at the house. When the cops took the DNA test for it, they found that it belonged to the couple."

"Well, maybe they're just injured and not dead?"

"If they were just wounded, they would have at least gone to the local hospital. But the police found no records of them having checked in. Same with other nearby hospitals. And with the amount of blood found, the couple would be too injured to go to one of the further hospitals. But that's not all."

"There's more?!"

Ayako nodded. "Yeah. Neither body of the couple has been found. It's like they vanished into thin air, leaving only their blood behind. The search is still going on. But the trail's pretty much cold. After all, the cops and detectives have no leads. They're asking the public to let the investigators know of any possible clues to the couple's disappearance. And the principal and some of the teacher's are freaking out that our school could be next. So we have a half day."

[End OST]

[Tender Scenery]

"Great," Akiko grumbled. "Now the schedule's gonna be all fucked up..."

Ayako smiled. "I wouldn't use that kinda language around the teachers if I were you."

"I know. That's why I don't swear around them. Not even Ms. Fujimura."

The bell went off and Akiko sat in her desk. She glanced to her left and saw Rin by the windows as usual. Rin only acknowledged Akiko with a swift glance before gazing at the front of the classroom again. After what happened last night, Akiko didn't blame Rin for being so unfriendly towards her.

[End OST]

The days went by quickly. When Akiko was far away from the school, walking home, Lancer joined her.

"You were done early today."

"We had a half day today because of the murder last night," she replied. She glanced at Lancer. "Not about what happened to Emiya. Something unrelated to the War."

Lancer breathed a sigh of relief. "Good. So then no one else knows."

"I knew that Tohsaka wouldn't be stupid enough to tell everyone what happened. It was Emiya that I was worried about. I was afraid that he would tell someone like Ryuudou what you tried to do to him and Ryuudou would tell someone else and so on."

[Blue Sky]

The two entered the house. Lancer sat down on the couch in the living room and flipped on the T.V.

"We have a few hours before I have to go to work," Akiko told him. "I'm gonna make a call."

"Okay," Lancer replied without looking away from the T.V.

Akiko found her cell phone in her bedroom and picked it up, opening it. She opened her contacts list on it and searched for 'Bazett'. Once she found it, she hit call on it and put the receiver near her ear. She heard it ring on the other side of the line. After two more rings, someone picked up on the other side.

"Akiko! You said two days ago you'd call me yesterday. Did something happen?"

Akiko and Bazett were close enough friends to not refer to each other by their last names. Ayako was almost to that point with Akiko. During Akiko's stay in Ireland to meet others from the Mage's Association stationed there. The two talked and became instant friends. She called Shinji by his first name like most others. But it was to show she doesn't respect him. At. All.

"Yeah, something did. To make a long story short, I suspected a classmate of mine to be a Master. I had Cu Chulainn lay a trap for her. She fell for it and we ended up having to fight her Servant. Then something happened. The night I summoned Cu Chulainn, I had a vision."

Bazett knew about Akiko's mystic eyes, the Mystic Eyes of Future Prediction, as the Mage's Association called them.

"I take it that 'something' was related to what you saw?"

"Yeah. In it, I saw Cu Chulainn kill a student. During that fight, we heard a witness gasp. The person ran into the school building and Cu Chulainn chased after him, killing him, of course."

"Yikes, so that was why you didn't call?"

"Yes and no. The story isn't over."

"More happened?!"

Akiko nodded but then remembered Bazett couldn't see her. "Yes. After Cu Chulainn took me back here, he sensed the witness was still alive. So he left to finish it. Now I wasn't there, so I don't know the details. But Cu Chulainn came back a little over an hour later saying that the witness summoned a Servant and he ended up having to fight it. After that, we ate and went straight to sleep."

Bazett was silent for a moment and then spoke. "Ooh. Talk about bad luck. Fighting two Servants in one night!"

"Putting that aside, we haven't had any other confrontations before that. Did you get the picture I sent to you over my phone of Cu Chulainn two days ago?"

"Yeah. I have to admit, he looks different than I imagined him to be."

"How so?"

"Well, the eyes weren't a surprise. And since he's a Celtic warrior, I did expect him to wear something like blue tights, though I did expect him to be wearing less..." Bazett paused and Akiko imagined that she was blushing. "But I imagined his hair to be hazel. Not blue."

Akiko sighed. "I imagine the next thing you wanna ask is whether or not you can talk to him. Did I nail it?"

"Guilty as charged. But can I?"

"Yes. Just wait a second and I'll put him on."

Akiko took the phone away from her ear and covered the speaker with one hand. She went to the living room to find Lancer. He was still watching T.V. Akiko grabbed the remote and hit mute. Then she turned to Lancer.

"Bazett wants to talk to you. She's waiting on the other line. Just hold the phone up to your ear and talk into it." She handed him the cell phone.

Lancer took it. "I know. The Grail implanted knowledge of how to use a phone into me." He put the phone to his ear. "Hey! I hear that yer a big fan of mine!"

Akiko sat down on the couch next to Lancer. Because she had good hearing, she could hear Bazett clearly as she talked to Lancer.

"Oh my God! I can't believe I'm talking to the actual Cu Chulainn! *squee*!"

Akiko sweatdropped. Bazett sounded like she was about to burst from excitement. Sad.

Lancer chuckled. Oh my God. Akiko could practically _sense_ his ego rising by the second. "The one an' only! So! What didja wanna talk about?"

Bazett shrieked again and Akiko facepalmed. A Q and A with Cu Chulainn _has gotta_ be a dream come true for her! "There is SO MUCH I wanna ask you!"

"Sure. Fire away."

"Okay. How old are you? Your legend doesn't give an exact age."

"Yer lucky I'm a man. If I was a woman, I would've called ya somethin' insultin' an' hung up on ya. But, physically, I'm 30."

"Some versions of your legend say you knocked up Aife, and some don't. Which is true? Did you?"

If Akiko was drinking something, she would've spit it out like a hose. She's never heard Bazett use the words "knocked up" in that context!

Lancer gave a nervous laugh. "That's pretty personal...but...yes..." He growled. "At the time, I didn't think much of it. But now I loathe that moment fer Aife findin' a way to use it against me."

"How old were you when you 'did it' with her?"

"Umm...16..." He began sweating heavily. "Look, are ya gonna keep askin' me uncomfortable questions?"

"Sorry. I got carried away. I'm just excited about talking to someone I look up to. But the rest of the questions I have for you would make you uncomfortable. I'll call you back later when I come up with more appropriate ones. Can you put Akiko back on?"

"Sure." He took the phone away from his ear and handed it to Akiko. "Bazett wants to talk to you again."

"I know. I heard her." She took the phone from his hand and put it to her ear. "Hey. So I wanted to say - What the hell do you think your doing?!"

[End OST]

[Troublemakers]

"You wanted to ask me what the hell I think I'm doing?"

Akiko growled softly. "Not you. Cu Chulainn." He had just lifted his Master onto his lap. "He just put me onto his lap!"

Bazett giggled. "I didn't know you two are that close."

"No we aren't!"

"Whatever. I'll leave you guys alone for now."

"Bazett, don't hang - !" A click and then a long beep went through the receiver. "Dammit!" Akiko hit end and shut the phone, placing it on the coffee table. She sat up, not even turning to face the man behind her. "I'll ask again: what do you think you are doing?!"

He pulled her close to his chest and rested his chin on top of Akiko's head. She could feel him grinning. "Nothin' much."

"Let me rephrase it: why are you doing this to me?!" Even though she tried to sound angry, her cheeks were hot and she was afraid Lancer could hear her heart hammering in her chest.

Lancer snickered. He heard it. "What's the big deal? Ya have a thing fer me, don'tcha?"

Her entire face was red. "O-Of course not! I-I-Idiot!"

"No use tryin' to deny it."

"YOU'VE GOT IT ALL WRONG!" Akiko wrenched herself out of Lancer's arms and stood up. She turned around, facing him. "Look, we've only known each other for four days. I know a relationship between a Master and Servant can go much faster than a normal one, what with us pretty much relying on each other to survive and living together, but I do think we need to take our time. Look, I do like you, but I'm not ready to take that big of a step just yet."

"I'm fine with that," Lancer replied.

"And why did you do that while I was on the phone?"

"You were sittin' right by me. I couldn't help myself."

Akiko sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Oh boy...Why'd I get a Servant as hopeless as this one..?"

[End OST]

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

[A Beautiful Melody]

Later, it was time for Akiko to go to work. Lancer accompanied her through town. Then both of them went into Ahnenerbe. Lancer leaned back against the wall near the door with his hands in his pockets.

"Ah, Hashomoto, there you are," Akiko's boss, Kazuhiro Igarashi, said. He was at the counter. He had short brown hair and was wearing glasses over green eyes. "We missed you yesterday. I had to have Eguchi take over your job."

"Sorry, Mr. Igarashi. Something school-related came up." Well, that wasn't far from the truth.

Kazuhiro sighed. "Whatever your reason, I need you to get in uniform and charm those customers."

Akiko sighed. The uniform was one thing she wasn't looking forward to. She went to the back room to get changed into it. She came out a few minutes later when she was done. The uniform was HILARIOUS! Akiko was dressed in a black maid's outfit with white lacy edges. Lancer couldn't help but grin at the sight.

One of the men at the register, Susumu Morikawa, snickered when he saw Akiko. He had spiky red hair, blue eyes, and jewelry all over his right ear. This was always the highlight of his day.

Akiko glared at him. "Zip it, Morikawa!"

One of the other waitresses, Maiko Eguchi, came over to Akiko. She had black hair pulled up into a bun and black eyes. She was also in a maid outfit. She also helped with the register too. There was another man who was the cook, but Akiko never saw him except for brief glimpses when she's cleaning the place. She didn't even know his name. "Ugh, I know how you feel. This Is SO degrading!" Maiko said.

"It helps bring in the male customers," Kazuhiro said. "Learn to get used to it."

Maiko glared at Susumu. "Tell that creeper to stop ogling us," she grumbled. It wasn't only the innuendos that male customers made to both girls that made wearing the maid outfits unbearable, but also Susumu didn't help. He made comments at them every day, their entire shift. If he said that he was going to "tidy Hashomoto up" one more time, the teen was going to beat the shit out of him.

Akiko looked over her shoulder at her boss. "Oh, yeah. Mr. Igarashi? My friend Lancer would like to be interviewed by you to get a job as another waiter here."

"Very well. Come with me then, Lancer."

As Lancer followed Kazuhiro into another room and the door behind them was closed, Maiko leaned over and whispered into Akiko's ear. "Who's he? Your boyfriend?"

Akiko's cheeks burned. "N-No way!"

Susumu smirked. "No use trying to deny it, Hashomoto. He's pretty handsome."

Akiko spun around to face him, glaring. "For God's sake, _shut up_ Morikawa!"

Susumu continued to smirk at her. "Why are you getting so defensive about this?"

"Because _you_ won't drop it!"

"I'm surprised you're saying he isn't your boyfriend," Maiko added. "I would hit that in a heartbeat."

"Not you too, Eguchi! Can't I be left alone?!"

Susumu chuckled. "Sure, whatever, Hashomoto. But that won't stop our imaginations." Then he looked up at the door. "It looks like we have some customers."

Two men with black hair sat down at one table. Maiko took care of them. The third was a man with blonde hair and wearing a black vest over a white shirt. Akiko went over to the table he sat down at and forced a smile.

[End OST]

"Welcome to Ahnenerbe. What would you like to order?"

[Troublemakers]

The man only glanced at her with red eyes. "I thought this was a restaurant. Not a joke."

Okay. He had just called her a joker. Damn this uniform! At least this wasn't like everything else said to her on a daily basis. But despite her frustration, she continued to smile. "I apologize. This is a cafe. Not a restaurant." And my boss is a douche. That's what she wanted to tell him for the reason she's wearing a maid's uniform.

The man smirked and leaned back slightly in his seat, looking Akiko up and down. "Is that the restaurant's way of promoting sales?"

Well, by the male populace. Akiko's eyebrow twitched. She had a bad feeling that he was going to make a comment about her uniform. Not sexual, but still rude! "I'm sorry if this is distracting, but may I take your order?"

The man scoffed. "Just give me a plate of your finest dish. And if it is unsatisfying, I will tear this establishment down."

Great. He was one of _those_ guys. She walked over to the counter, to Susumu. "A plate of Ahnenerbe's Special for the douchebag at table 3."

He looked back over his shoulder, to the kitchen. "Ahnenerbe's Special!" Then he faced Akiko. "So the guy you're dealing with is a douchebag?"

Akiko sighed and scratched the back of her head. "Yeah. The arrogant kind. I'm tempted to spit in his food before I give it to him."

Susumu chuckled. "I wouldn't blame you, but I also don't think our boss will like you pissing off another customer."

Akiko was fuming. "'Another'?! I haven't done it before!"

Susumu smirked at her. "Yeah, whatever." Several minutes later, Susumu was handed a plate. It had a steak drizzled in sauce and had some basil on the side. He gave it to Akiko. She brought it over to the blonde man.

"About time! I was getting tired of waiting!" Akiko resisted the urge to just slam the food into his face. She set the plate down.

"Here you go. Ahnenerbe's Special!"

The man looked at the food in disdain. He sniffed it a couple of times before wrinkling his nose in utter disgust. "What is this garbage you have dared to present me with? I recall ordering your finest food."

Akiko sighed. I took everything she had to keep herself from punching him in the face. "This is the best meal we have here."

"You cannot be serious!"

"Like I said, this is a cafe. Not a restaurant. The food we serve is not as fancy so that it can be prepared faster."

"I refuse to even put this excuse for food in my mouth!" Just then, Lancer came out of the boss' room and went over to Akiko.

[End OST]

[Premonition of a Storm]

"What's goin' on?" Then he and the man stared at each other. "...Akiko, we should go now."

"Eh?! But if I tell my boss that I'm leaving now, he'll make me work longer tomorrow to make up for it!"

"Akiko. We really should go now."

Lancer actually sounded serious for once. Maybe leaving was the right choice after all.

"...Fine." Akiko looked over her shoulder to Susumu. "Morikawa! Tell Mr. Igarashi I'm leaving now."

Susumu waved dismissively. "Sure, sure. But I bet he won't be happy."

Akiko grumbled something in response before going to the back room to get changed. When she came out, Lancer was right outside the door. He grabbed her wrist.

"Let's go."

[End OST]

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

[Time Together]

Back at the house, both the Master and Servant sat down on the living room couch.

Akiko spoke first to Lancer. "So why did you have me leave?"

"That guy was a Servant."

"What?! A Servant?! I could tell there was something off with the air around him, but I thought it was just because he's a foreigner!"

"Yeah. I really didn't want to get in a fight with one just yet. An' I have a feelin' he didn't either."

"Well,just dealing with him was a fight," Akiko said as she got up. She went to the sink in the kitchen and began washing the dishes. "The maid outfit is already bad enough. But dealing with that guy makes me hate my job even more! Mr. Igarashi doesn't pay me enough to put up with that kinda shit!"

Lancer chuckled as he also went into the kitchen to help Akiko wash the dishes. "What kinda shit were ya havin' to deal with?"

"He was saying that he requires our best food. And when I gave it to him, he gave me grief about it looking too awful to eat! God! I wanted to kick that arrogant piece of shit _so_ badly!"

"It's a good thing ya didn't. If you piss off a Servant enough, chances are good that you'll be the one gettin' yer ass kicked."

"I know, I know. But his type _totally_ rubs me the wrong way!"

"If we end up fightin' him fer the Grail, you'll get yer shot at revenge."

"That arrogance of his...he's probably royalty."

"Nah. Even royalty would watch what they say to others. After all, the person they're badmouthin' may have a higher social status than them. No, for him to say that to just anyone, he would most likely be at the highest level of social status. He's most likely a king."

"If he is, he sure isn't the type of king _I'd_ like to serve under."

Lancer grinned. "Me neither. I like the kind of king who takes the front lines more. Whether it's fightin' or politics. It seems like he had his subjects do all the work fer him."

Akiko put a bunch of cleaned plates on the dish rack. "Ugh, politics. When I think of that, all I can think of is corruption in any type of government, including a monarchy."

"Well, things were different in my time. Fer example, most of the time I liked Conchobar."

"Except that time when you wanted to take up arms," Akiko put in. "Bazett told me that part of your story, too. Apparently, she said you threw a fit and smashed all of his weapons and his chariot." She smiled when Lancer went silent.

"W-Well, I was young, and, uh, he pissed me off..." Yeah. If he was still like he was back then, Akiko would have already kicked him out of her life forever. Even so...

"Uh-huh. Whatever, brat."

[End OST]


	4. Day 5 I

**I know I kept you all waiting. I had writer's block and decided to use our vacation to Tennessee from August 6-August 9 to clear my head. Then I got ideas for some other scenes in this story and I ended up typing them instead. Most of the vacation went fine, but I wanna kill the person responsible for what happened on the night of August 7 at the Pigeon Forge suite we were staying at. Here's what happened...**

 **It was like 11:30 at night and I was finally falling asleep when there was a sound like "DAAAAAAAAAAAAAA." Kind of like a door buzzer. No, it sounded exactly like one. And it was a deafeningly loud sound that droned on and on and on. It scared the shit outta me and I almost jumped out of my skin. At first, I thought it was something I did. Then I looked around and saw the strobe light. From the fire alarm. It was making the most irritating sound EVER. I swear that even an** **air-raid alarm wouldn't be nearly as loud!**

 **I hopped into my wheelchair as fast as I could, but the strobe light was confusing me, and I ended up slamming the side of my right thigh into the brake. It hurt like hell. A moment later, my brother woke up and less than a minute later, our parents came out of the bedroom. There was a bed that folded out of the couch in the living room that I slept in. My brother slept on the couch cushions on the floor next to it so he wouldn't be kicked by my legs (strengthened from doing rehab every night on the treadmill and recumbent bike. Mom calls them "horse legs"). And our parents slept in the only real bed in the room we were in.**

 **We made our way to the 1st floor from the 2nd (that was where most everyone was living. It was a small suite. Only two floors) and out the door with pretty much everyone else at the suite. At least no one else used the elevator. With my inability to balance enough to walk, we were the only ones who had to use it. But we didn't smell smoke at all in the halls. A few minutes later, a firetruck pulled up and a fireman went inside. Several minutes later, he came out and propped the door open, grumbling so quietly even I barely heard him, "You guys can go in."**

 **The next day, Mom found out what had happened. Someone was cooking in their room and smoke filled the kitchen, setting off the fire alarm and waking everyone up. Great. It took me FOREVER to go back to sleep! Thanks a lot, whoever did it! And thanks for the large, painful bruise on my thigh!**

 **And even though the setting in Fate/stay night has a different climate than the one I'm used to (humid continental, I live in Illinois.) the climate in my area will be the one I use in this story.**

* * *

 _Images were flashing quickly._

 _A knife glinted._

 _Blood splattered._

 _A severed tongue went flying._

Then the alarm clock went off. Akiko woke up and sat up in bed, rubbing her eyes, yawning.

[Tender Scenery]

"What a weird dream..." she mumbled. "Anyway, thank God it's finally Friday!" she exclaimed. Lancer chuckled from the couch in the room where he slept. Akiko had kept offering for him to use the bed and she'll sleep on the couch. But he told her that she's the one going to school, and so she needs to be more rested than him. He had woken up when Akiko did.

"I though ya were a fan of school."

"Not exactly. I just try to make it there each day so I don't have to make up any homework I missed. But it's nice not having to go every single day on the weekends, even if it's only for two days." She looked at Lancer. "I can't wait for college, when I can do more subjects that I enjoy."

"What ones do ya enjoy?"

"The career I want is game design," she replied. "So I enjoy more graphic design classes or ones dealing with making computer images or using things like Photoshop."

Lancer grinned and leaned back against the back cushion of the couch, grinning with pretty much all of his teeth showing. "I'm pretty sure you can guess what my interests are."

"Spear fighting, am I right?"

"Spear fightin', fightin' competitions, whatever."

"There's a kendo tournament next month, though I don't know if you'll vanish before then."

Lancer sat forward, still grinning. "If not, I'm so there!"

Akiko sighed. "If you do get to go, don't get so carried away that you'll arouse everyone's suspicion of the existence of super human beings."

Lancer barked a single laugh. "Of course I know that! How stupid do ya think I am?!"

"I'm not saying you are, but I have a feeling that if I don't tell you what to do in a situation like that, you'll end up doing something idiotic."

Lancer ignored what she said. "Well, ya should be gettin' ready to go. I take it ya want me to keep watch? Well, I'd do it even is ya disapprove."

Akiko let an evil grin grace her lips. "You're forgetting I still have all three of my Command Seals. I could use one to force you to stay here."

"Ya wouldn't be dumb enough to waste one fer that!"

"Wouldn't I?"

A chill ran down Lancer's spine and he shivered. She was serious. She would really do it. But probably not until he pissed her off so much that she didn't want to be near him. Best to stay on her good side, then.

Her smirk dropped and she glanced at Lancer. "But I do need you to keep an eye out for one more thing while I'm at school."

Lancer could tell by her face and tone she was serious. "Sure. What is it?"

"It's about those two murders near the school."

Lancer crossed his arms. "Do ya think it has somethin' to do with the Grail War?"

Akiko looked away from him, to the area to his left and her right. "I'm not sure. It could be some random person doing this. But I do think it's strange that the first murder happened the same night I summoned you. If there is a connection, our school could be next. After all, me, Emiya, and Tohsaka are Masters. And who knows how many others at the school are too? Their goal may be to get rid of us. And the locations could be a way to scare us. But then again, I still don't know enough to tell if the locations were coincidences or not. Even if it turns out they are, I want you to keep watch for suspicious activity going on campus or near the school."

"Sure thing! If anyone tries to hurt ya, they'll taste my spear!"

A small smile appeared on Akiko as she got out of bed. The two had some toast, bacon, and orange juice for breakfast. After Akiko got the remainder of herself ready, like brushing her teeth and combing her hair, the two went out the door, walking along the sidewalk to school. Once they were nearly there, Lancer broke off from his Master to hide in the trees. Akiko went into the school building and up the stairs, going into her classroom.

[End OST]

[Gentle Everyday]

"Hashomoto!" Ayako called as Akiko sat down at her desk. Ayako came over to the taller teen.

"What is it, Mitsuzuri?" Akiko asked. "Do we have another half day?"

Ayako shook her head. "No. But now there's information on who the killer may be."

"They find a clue or did they get a tip?"

[End OST]

[Whirlpool of Fate]

"No, a clue. Near the scene of the crime, detectives found a single strand of magenta hair. It didn't belong to the couple where it was found. They ran a DNA test on it and that's where it gets strange."

"Strange?"

"Yeah, strange. The test revealed it to belong to an animal never seen before. Have you ever heard of chimeras?" Akiko nodded. "Well, they think it may be some type of chimera. But completely different from the traditional ones. And other DNA taken from the scene of the first murder didn't show who or what did it, but it matches the DNA of this creature."

"A chimera?! Okay, I gotta know what the investigators have been smoking."

"This isn't a joke. The evidence from the DNA test proves it. I'm doubtful too, but I highly doubt they would release that information if they weren't 100% sure of the results."

[End OST]

[Gentle Everyday]

The bell for the beginning of class rang. "Well, I still think it's a load of crap," Akiko said. "I'm not gonna believe it until they have more evidence to back it up."

"Well, whatever," Ayako said. She walked to her desk just as Mr. Kuzuki came in the room to take attendance. Akiko still kept in mind of what she and Lancer had to do after school. The bad feeling as she entered the school grounds reminded her of that. They had to find what was creating the bounded field and shut it off before the field is activated. If it was, everyone in the school would be drained of their life force and would all eventually die.

Oh shit! That's right! Akiko forgot to let her boss know she wouldn't be able to come in today. But he wouldn't fire her. He couldn't afford to. After all, she and Eguchi were the only waitresses at Ahnenerbe. Instead, he would decrease her next paycheck.

Later in class, when Mr. Kuzuki switched with Ms. Fujimura, everybody was looking in their textbooks. But Akiko was only pretending to like everyone else. She was actually using it to whisper, communicating with her Servant.

 _'Any suspicious activity going on, Cu Chulainn?'_

 _'Nope, everythin's goin' smoothly over here.'_

 _'Good. By the way, remember what we need to do after school?'_

 _'Check fer what's makin' the bounded field 'round here? Yeah, I remember. I was worried you didn't. After all, ya didn't call yer boss an' make an excuse fer why ya can't come into work today.'_

 _'Yeah. On Monday, I'll just tell him I had a family emergency.'_

 _'Ya sure that'll be enough to get ya off the hook?'_

 _'Yeah. He'll just yell at me, reduce my pay for this month, give me a dirty look that entire day, and eventually forget about it.'_

Lancer paused. Akiko imagined he was sweatdropping. _'...Ya seem to know how he ticks.'_

 _'Me and the other two. I don't know about the cook, though.'_

 _'Well, anyway, can ya remove sigils? That's most likely what's makin' the bounded field.'_

 _'Don't worry. I can handle it.'_ Ms. Fujimura began talking again and everyone put down their textbooks. _'Uh-oh. Looks like we need to save our talk for later.'_

Lancer could guess what was happening. _'In a situation where you can't talk to me without someone noticin'? Alright, I'll just wait out here fer ya.'_

Akiko cut off her communication with Lancer and looked around. Good. No one was looking at her strangely. So they didn't hear her.

Later, the lunch bell rang and Akiko got out her bagged lunch. She turned her head to the side to see Ayako walking over to her desk, also carrying a bagged lunch.

"Wanna eat together?" she asked. She didn't know if Akiko had other plans during lunch period. It didn't look like it, but better to make sure.

"Yeah, I don't have anything else going on right now," Akiko replied. She scooted her chair over slightly so Ayako could pull one up and sit next to her.

[End OST]

The two girls got out sandwiches and began eating. After a moment of silence, Ayako spoke up.

"You seem...different than usual."

Akiko swallowed her bite. "I do? How so?"

"I dunno. You seem...happier, ya know?"

"Oh. Yeah, I guess my mood has been better lately."

"Did something happen?"

"Not much. I met someone recently is all."

"A boy?"

[Troublemakers]

Akiko sputtered and snapped her head at Ayako. "I-I have no idea what you're talking about!"

Ayako faced Akiko and grinned like she just got someone to reveal to her a big secret. "Ah-ha! You're getting embarrassed! So it _is_ a boy! And he must be a cute-looking one!"

Akiko's face went red, from a mixture of blushing and anger. "I'm not embarrassed! I only sound like I am because you asked that out of the blue!"

Ayako continued to grin. "You're in lo~ve!"

That was a little loud. Akiko looked around nervously. People were staring, but shrugged and went back to eating. "Be quiet, Mitsuzuri! You're drawing attention!"

"But I'm right, aren't I?"

Akiko went back to fuming at her. "I said that I'm not!"

Ayako's grin only got wider. "Denying it only shows that I'm right. You're an attractive girl! Any guy would be lucky to get your attention!"

Well, she was right about the attractive part. However, she was only second to Rin. Any guys who couldn't land a date with Rin hit on Akiko instead. The silver-haired teen took a drink from her can of lemonade to hide her embarrassment. "...F-Fine! I guess...I do like him...a little..."

Ayako giggled a bit. "Just a little? If someone is enough to get your attention, I highly doubt that you just 'like' him."

Akiko growled softly and blushed. "God, can't you leave me alone?!"

Ayako snickered. "What's his name? Or did you only meet him briefly on the streets?"

Akiko didn't know how to answer. There was no way she could tell Ayako her Servant's true name. On the other hand, even if she tried to dodge that question, Ayako wouldn't let up until she got an answer. She could tell the teen Lancer's class name, but what if she was also a Master? Then she'd not only know Akiko was also one, but that she had a Servant. Oh well. She was Akiko's friend. She was willing to take that risk.

"...Lancer," she mumbled. Now to see what Ayako's reaction would be. Thankfully, it wasn't one that Akiko was dreading, one that would hint at Ayako also being a Master. Instead, she scrunched up her face in a thoughtful way.

"Lancer, huh? That name sounds foreign."

"It is. He's from a different country. Remember when I took that trip to Ireland? I met him there."

"But I thought you said you just met him! After all, you took that trip two years ago!"

"I just met him when he came _here_ ," Akiko corrected. "He's staying with me for now." Why did she have to add that in?! Well, she did feel like spilling more details about what's going on in her life when talking to Ayako.

Ayako giggled again. "In that case, I can't wait to meet him. Is he nice to others or just to you?"

Akiko sighed as she finished her sandwich. "He's nice to others. And since I can tell you won't leave it alone, I'll call and tell you when you can meet him."

Ayako winked. Like Akiko, she had finished eating. "I'll hold you to that! Now, the bell's about to ring. I'd better go back to my desk." She stood up and moved the chair back and went to her desk.

[End OST]

[Gentle Everyday]

While class was going on, there was a perfect chance for Akiko to commune with Lancer.

 _'Hey, Mr. Popular, one of my friends wants to meet you,'_ she whispered.

 _'I hope that person's not a Master. That could be a reason fer wantin' to see me.'_

 _'No, I don't think she is.'_ Or maybe it's something Akiko didn't _want_ to believe.

 _'Ooh, it's another girl, huh?'_

Akiko sighed, but she remembered to keep it quiet. _'When she's there, just keep your pants on.'_

Lancer laughed. _'Don't worry 'bout me cheatin' on ya fer another girl!'_

Akiko blushed. _'Sh-Shut up. I-I'm not worried or anything.'_

 _'Suuuure ya aren't.'_

Akiko cut off her communication with him to show that she was angry now. But by the end of the day, she had calmed down. Because of the murders, even clubs were cancelled. So Akiko just hid in an empty room until everyone, even the teachers, had gone home.

[End OST]

When she was sure the entire school was empty, she talked to Lancer again.

 _'The school's clear now. Meet me at the first floor, next to the lockers.'_

 _'Got it.'_

Akiko came out of hiding and moments later, she joined up with her Servant.

"Remember: we're looking for sigils that will create the bounded field," she reminded him. "If possible, we are to erase them."

Lancer scratched the back of his head. "Are ya even able to do that? I don't even know yet how skilled ya are with magic."

"I can. And I have to be skilled. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been chosen as a Master."

Not true, Lancer thought. That Master, Shirou Emiya, he believes, wasn't all that skilled. Lancer could sense that a good majority of the lad's magic circuits were dormant from lack of use. And yet, he had been chosen for some reason. And at the worst possible time for Lancer, too. It just _had_ to happen right as he was going to finish the lad off again!

The two began their search in a first-floor classroom. When they were near the teacher's desk, Lancer spoke up. "It's around here."

"Yeah, I can feel it nearby," Akiko replied. The two began searching the desk for the sigil. While Akiko was searching on top of the desk, Lancer was searching the underside of it.

"That must be it," Lancer said moments after he started looking.

Akiko was looking at the underside of various objects on top of the desk. She looked at him. "Where?"

Lancer pointed at the underside of the desk. "Right there."

Akiko squatted down to see the sigil. It was on the inner side of the right side of the desk. The red mark looked strange. It had an eight-pointed star in the middle of a circle. But strange writing was just inside the outline of the circle. "I've never seen or heard of writing like this before. This has to be the work of a Servant."

Lancer glanced at it. "I'd say the culprit is someone from ancient Greece, judgin' by the writin'."

Akiko glanced at him. "How do you know? After all, you're from Ireland. Did you learn it from the Grail?"

"No, from my teacher, Scathach," he replied. "When she was drillin' me an' Ferdiad in magecraft, she also went over what other countries at that time used fer castin' spells. Greece still used writin' like this fer magic only."

"Huh," Akiko said. Then she turned to the sigil again. "I won't be able to erase it completely. But I can mess with it."

She hovered her palm just over the sigil and the palm glowed with faint red light. Then a red triangle appeared on the sigil. Akiko drew her hand back and stood up.

"That makes one down."

"Who knows how many others there are?" Lancer said.

"I dunno," Akiko replied. "I guess we'll just have to find as many as we can."

Seven more sigils later, they decided to check the other buildings. When they came out of the school, they saw a curious sight.

"Ah..." Akiko said.

[Footsteps of Destruction]

The two saw Rin, Shirou, and their two Servants coming out of the dojo. While the two Masters were still wearing their Homurahara Academy uniforms - Rin had a red jacket over her shirt - the enemy Servants looked different than before. They were wearing modern clothes, not their battle ones. Saber had on w white long-sleeved shirt with a blue ribbon tied into a bow around the collar and a blue skirt that went down to her knees. Archer was wearing a black button-up shirt over a red one and a black vest over the black shirt. He wore a pair of black pants and black shoes, ones that looked to be for a special occasion or for going out to a fancy restaurant. Saber turned her head and saw Akiko and Lancer.

"Lancer! What are you doing here?!" Saber hissed.

Lancer smirked as he and Akiko walked over to the four, stopping when there was only two meters between the two groups. Saber looked so angry. It was a little cute, what with that little piece of hair that stuck out bobbing around. It made her look like a teen that was pouting. "We're here to mess with those sigils placed 'round the school. What? Do ya have a problem with that?"

Saber continued to snarl at the man. "Of course I do! You are the enemy!"

"An enemy, huh? Don't all Servants see each other that way?" The demigod glanced at Archer. "So why are ya with another Servant?" Archer just crossed his arms, but didn't reply.

Saber tensed even more than she already was. "Our Masters have an alliance. So we will work together to defeat you!"

The three Servants went in front of their Masters, each still wearing modern clothes but brandishing their weapons. Akiko sighed. "Look, we aren't here to fight." Then Akiko held her right arm out, hand opened and palm facing the two Maters and their Servants. "However, if you four really wanna fight, Lancer and I will respond in kind. Jilg [1]."

A chain of lavender energy appeared in her right palm. Her fingers closed around it. She was holding onto one end of the chain. The rest was swirled below in a pile. The chain was long. It could wrap around a person seven times and still have plenty left for the mage to hold onto.

Shirou took a step forward, but was still behind Saber. "Whoa, whoa. We're checking for sigils too. Instead of fighting, let's just work together."

"Yeah right! As if I'd cooperate with an enemy, especially one that attacked us both!" Rin exclaimed.

"Shirou, please listen to her," Saber added. She was still facing Lancer, along with Archer. "She is right. We should not ally ourselves with Lancer of all people."

"I'm not talking about a full alliance," Shirou told both girls. "Just a ceasefire that lasts for just today."

Akiko looked to relax a little, but still held onto the chain. "We can work with that. But be aware that we will attack if we are first."

Shirou glanced at her. "I'm aware of that."

Saber lowered her invisible weapon slightly, but still looked to be on guard. "Very well, Shirou. Even though I don't completely agree with your proposition, I will abide by your desicion."

Archer glanced at his Master. "Well, Rin? What do you say?"

Rin breathed out loudly. "...Fine. But only if Lancer and Hashomoto keep away from us!"

Akiko released the mana making the chain appear. "Don't worry about that. But make sure you don't get in our way either."

Suddenly, there was a strange feeling, as if a bounded field had been set up. There was a giggle. It sounded high-pitched, like it was from a small child.

"It looks like we get to have some fun today!"

The six turned their heads to the entrance to the school campus. There was fog there, so a bounded field had been set up. There was another giggle and a little girl took a step out of the fog. She had silver hair, the same shade as Akiko's, and big red eyes. she had a purple hat over her hair, one that looked to be from Russia. She had a purple jacket over a purple dress and purple boots.

"It's Illyasveil von Einzbern!" Rin exclaimed. There was a silhouette of something behind her. Something huge. It took a step out of the fog and everyone saw what it was.

"_!"

It was her Servant, Berserker.

[End OST]

* * *

 **[1] Akiko chants the incantations for her spells in Draconian.**

 **Jilg = Hold**

 **Remember to review.**


	5. Day 5 II

**I was working on the last chapter. It's a real tear-jerker.**

 **An almost-lemon near the end.**

* * *

"_!"

The beast roared and the girl giggled. The monster was massive. He had black-grey skin that was bulging with muscles. It had messy black hair and an armored skirt-like garment hanging down from his hips. In his right hand was an ax-like club.

"So he's Berserker, huh?" Lancer growled. He and the other two Servants switched to their battle attire.

Rin bit her lower lip. About two o' clock a.m. of the fourth - well, technically the third - day she had her Servant summoned, she took Shirou to see Kirei Kotomine and learn more about the War. Outside, the two Masters and Servants were pulled into a fight against Illyasveil von Einzbern and her Servant Berserker. Simply put, the four had their asses handed to them. Especially Shirou. She really didn't want to fight them again. But with another Master and Servant hopefully fighting alongside them against this enemy, they may stand more of a chance.

"We'll go with the same strategy we used the first time," she ordered. "Archer! Fire arrows as support!"

"Are you sure?" he asked. "My arrows did not work against this monster the first time."

"I know," Rin answered. "But they'll help to distract him."

"Very well," Archer said to her and took off to higher ground, on top of a building in the shopping district. Rin faced Akiko and Lancer.

"Are you two going to fight alongside us?"

Akiko sighed. "I just checked out Berserker and his stats are insane. Teaming up will be the best choice." She looked straight at Rin. "But we'll only fight on the same side as you four. We will not take orders from either you or Emiya. We'll fight our own way."

"But -!" Shirou started but Rin cut him off.

"I understand. Even though you'll be fighting with us, we're still enemies."

Illya giggled. "I doesn't matter how many fight us, we'll crush all of our opponents in the end."

[Burst Up]

"Not gonna happen!" Lancer shouted as he ran at Berserker. The beast didn't even move as the spearman swung his lance at the monster's abdomen. The tip hit the giant's left hip, but didn't break the skin. Lancer's eyes widened in shock. "What?!"

Illya grinned evilly and chuckled as Berserker struck next, reaching around with his left hand to grab Lancer's ponytail. He hoisted the man into the air, the Servant squirming as he tried to get free.

"Finish off that Servant, Berserker!" Illya ordered.

"I don't think so!"

Akiko held out her left hand, palm out and facing Berserker. The Servant raised his ax to Lancer's neck, but several balls of fire came from Akiko's palm. All were fired at Berserker. As each hit the torso of the behemoth, smoke billowed out like a cloud. The combination of all of them blinded Berserker and made him release Lancer in shock. The tightness of the grip on the gold clasp must have broken it, because as soon as Lancer's feet hit the ground, it fell off in two pieces. The pieces vanished into a dust of blue mana. The long blue strands of the hair cascaded down Lancer's back and over his shoulders like water running over the edge of something solid. The man jumped back to Akiko's side before the beast could recover.

"Damn, his skin is hard!"

"We ran into that problem in our first fight against him," Rin explained. "Almost none of our attacks worked."

Akiko turned her head to look at Rin. "Almost?"

"Saber managed to take him down, but he just regenerated."

"Regenerated?! Then even if we manage to kill him, it'll all be for nothing in the end!"

"I don't know," Rin replied. "There must be a limit to his regenerating powers. We just need to exploit it."

Arrows from Archer flew at Berserker, distracting the beast so that Saber could attack the enemy next. She swung her invisible sword sideways to cut Berserker's abdomen, but the other Servant jumped high up over it before raising his ax over his head with both arms. He came down hard, bringing the ax down at Saber's head.

Saber grit her teeth and raised her sword up horizontally to block. Just as the other weapon hit the blade, the tip of a crimson spear appeared under Saber's sword, helping to hold it up under the pressure Berserker was putting on his ax. Saber glanced to her left to see who was holding the weapon. She was surprised to see the blue Servant.

"Lancer, why?!"

Lancer grunted as he struggled to keep both the sword and his spear from being forced down. "We're fightin' the same Servant. It's only natural to help one another out."

Archer fired one red arrow that didn't injure Berserker, but made him jump back. Lancer and Saber seperated their weapons. The man glanced at the knight next to him.

"You can use wind attacks, right?" he asked. Saber nodded. "Good. We'll do a collaborative attack against Berserker."

"A collaborative attack?! But how?!"

"You'll see. Now do that wind attack!"

Saber brought her sword back like she was getting ready to stab, then thrust it forward, the tip pointing at Berserker. "Strike Air!"

A twister of wind, like a bullet, shot from the sword at the opposing monster. But from this distance, it didn't even scratch him. Lancer traced something that looked like an F in the air right as she attacked.

"Ansuz!"

Fire burst from the letter into the cyclone. In an instant, the cyclone transformed into a blazing inferno that engulfed Berserker in an explosion. Illya, who was about a dozen meters to the beast's right, shielded her eyes from the fiery blast, just like the other three Masters.

"Talk about showy!" Shirou exclaimed.

"Showy, but hopefully it did something to Berserker!" Akiko shouted.

The fire the covered the ground from the blast threw up smoke. Saber and Lancer snarled, but it was Lancer who spoke.

"Only a few bleedin' cuts, but not even serious wounds!"

Rin put her arms down. "Are you serious?!"

Illya chuckled darkly. "Not even all the Servants going against Berserker together can stop him!"

Saber grit her teeth. "He is a tough Servant."

Akiko bit her lower lip and dashed forward, going in between Lancer and Saber. She stood in front of both, facing Berserker.

"What are ya doin'?!" Lancer exclaimed.

Akiko ignored him. She held out her right hand. "Jilg." The chain of energy appeared. She lashed it at Berserker like a whip. The chain wrapped itself around Berserker's torso as soon as it hit him. With the Servant's size, the chain could only wrap around him four times. After it wrapped around the beast, the free end dug itself into the ground, holding the monster. Berserker roared as he tried to break free, trying to use the arms pinned to his sides to shatter the bond. Akiko grit her teeth, forcing more mana into the chain to improve its durability. But it wouldn't help much against a Servant, much less Berserker.

Before the chain could break, Akiko thrust her opened left hand out, palm facing Berserker. She was going to use another spell. "Wer jeskic di wer fueryon oposs vhira acht wux. [1]"

A large bolt of lightning came down from the darkening sky at Berserker. It lit the giant up, enveloping him completely. Once the first bolt went away, three more struck the Servant, one right after the other. A large crater formed on the ground around Berserker when the first bolt hit, and it only got deeper with each strike.

However, the spell didn't do anything to Berserker. It didn't even stun him, as Akiko hoped it at least would.

"_!"

Berserker's arms strained against the chain and he broke it a few seconds later. Akiko fell down from the mana backlash and the entire chain vanished.

"Akiko!" Lancer cried out. In that same instant, Berserker took off towards her in a full sprint. Lancer growled and shielded her with his body, standing in front of her with his spear at the ready and facing Berserker, who swung his ax down at Lancer's right shoulder, aiming to cut the entire arm off.

Just as it was about to make contact, the ax stopped. Something invisible was keeping it from going any further down. Lancer's eyes widened when he saw who just blocked the ax.

"Huh, Saber?!"

"I am only repaying my debt to you," she replied as she strained to keep the ax where it was.

"Saber!" Akiko shouted. She fired a fireball at Berserker's eyes, temporarily blinding him. This made him lift the ax off the sword in shock. "Get him!"

"I know!" she replied before slashing up diagonally at Berserker's chest. Blood flew onto the blade when she did it.

"_!"

"You wounded him!" Akiko exclaimed as Lancer pulled her back to safety with the other two Masters. Saber jumped back when Berserker punched down on her, his fist instead hitting the ground and forming a crater.

"Saber, are you okay?!" Shirou demanded when Saber landed in front of her Master, sword at the ready.

"I am fine," she told him.

"Archer, fire support!" Rin suddenly shouted. Berserker roared and was charging at the group. Arrows fired at the beast made him stop, but not fall back.

"I'll make him go back!" Akiko shouted. She raised up her right arm, palm facing the sky. "Vi krikvlic di ixen wielga! Lyriki demak coi! Bekilip nkyorlic wer thaczil vhir! Dout mamiss geou xkhat vignar! [2]"

Balls of fire, like mini meteors, came down from the sky and hit Berserker one after the other. Each was twice the size of a tire from a large tractor. They all exploded when all had hit the ground. The blast even forced the Servants and Masters to go back as to not get caught in it. The gigantic blast ripped up the ground. It even forced Berserker to skid back several meters.

 _'That had to take a lot of mana out of her!'_ Rin thought. Akiko bent over, placing her hands on her knees and panting. Lancer and Saber dashed at Berserker just as the beast was getting back up.

"_!"

The massive roar Berserker let out shook the entire area. Before Lancer or Saber could react, Berserker sprinted in their direction. Archer must not have also been able to react in time because he didn't fire any arrows at the behemoth.

But the giant's target wasn't the two Servants. He went past them. Both shielded their faces against the harsh wind that assaulted them as he went past. Lancer looked back to see what Berserker was going for and suddenly realized what it was.

 _'Oh shit! He's goin' after_ her _!'_

Berserker was right in front of Akiko, who had been attacking him. But she knew that none of her spells could stop the monster before her. Berserker got ready to swing his ax at Akiko and only one thought went through her head.

 _'I'm going to die!'_

Lancer's shout broke through her thoughts. "Akiko!"

The ax was swung, red liquid flew through the air, and Akiko hit the ground, hard. Her eyes, which had been closed in anticipation of the coming pain, opened since the pain never came. She wanted to see why not.

Blood was dripping off the ax, but it couldn't have been from the teen. Her body was unmarked, and for some reason, she was further back out of range of the ax. And she was also on the ground on her back, so someone must have pushed her. But who?

Archer was too far away to have reached her in time, and Saber and the other two Masters hadn't moved. And why would enemies help other enemies anyway? Shirou might, though, knowing him. But he was just as surprised and thus wouldn't have been able to save Akiko in time. That leaves...

"Lancer!"

He was on his left side on the ground to the right of where Akiko had been before he had pushed her back. On his right hip was a gigantic wound that his intestines spilled from and gushed blood. It went from his right hip to almost the middle of his gut. It was enough to dye the armor over his entire abdomen and some of his chest a dark red. He had both hands over the gash, trying to stem the flow. He was breathing hard.

Illya looked lightly shocked, mostly puzzled. "Why would he risk his own life for someone else..?"

Akiko went over to her Servant and fell to her knees at his side. She removed both of his hands from the wound so she could replace them with hers and tried to get the spilling intestines back in the man's body. "Here, I'll heal you." But as soon as the green glow enveloped both of her hands, it went away. She tried the spell again, but the same result happened. "I'm sorry. I don't have enough mana left."

Lancer groaned in pain and went back to trying to keep his blood, and his mana, in.

Illya wrote off Lancer saving Akiko as just a bond between Master and Servant. But she wanted to end them before she didn't want to anymore. "Berserker, kill them both!"

"_!"

Berserker charged at the Master and Servant, ax raised over his shoulder to swing down on both. Archer couldn't fire support without the blast hitting Akiko and Lancer. He actually wouldn't care, but Rin might.

"I won't let you!"

Saber quickly moved herself between the giant and the other two, blocking Berserker's downward swing on them with her invisible sword.

"I refuse to allow you to kill a defenseless Master and Servant, whether they are enemies or not!"

Berserker snarled and used his left fist to punch Saber behind him, her body flying in an arc over his head. He turned around and jumped up to the sword-wielder, kicking her into the ground so hard that it formed a crater and dust flew up into a cloud.

"Saber!" Shirou exclaimed. The Servant got up and she and the monster ran at each other and clashed, each holding their weapons in front of their bodies, blades grinding against each other that sparks flew through the air like fireworks going off.

Berserker growled and pushed the invisible blade back with his own. Without missing a beat, he kicked Saber up into the air. He jumped up to meet her and swung his ax down, the blade biting into her back deeply.

She fell to the ground hard, blood that had been in the air coming down after her to speckle the ground around her. Then Berserker's knee came down hard onto her back.

"Agh!" she cried. Blood sprang forth from her lips. She lost consciousness and Berserker took a step back before raising his ax up to finish her.

"Don't!" Shirou exclaimed as he dashed forward.

Rin reached out to grab his wrist, but only ended up grabbing empty air. "Idiot! Don't go over there! That thing will kill you!"

Shirou ignored her and ran to Saber's side and fell to his knees. Berserker stopped his attack, knowing what this boy meant to Illya. A moment later, he turned his head to look over his shoulder, glaring at Illya. "Illya! That's enough!"

Illya looked faintly shocked for some reason. But that expression only lasted for an instant. Now she turned her head away, sticking out her lower lip slightly like she was pouting. "Hmph! That's enough for today, Berserker! Let's go home!"

She hopped onto Berserker's left shoulder and the giant turned, walking through the gate. Illya looked over her shoulder. "We'll play some more another day."

[End OST]

Once Illya and Berserker were out of sight, vanishing into the fog, Rin let out a sigh of relief. "Archer, you can come back here." The fog went away.

"How are you feeling Lancer?" Akiko asked her injured Servant.

Lancer tried to chuckle. "Well I'm bleedin' a lot, my intestines are tryin' to come back out of my body, an' I'm in a ton of pain. So not my best day. But couldn't ya tell that just by lookin' at me?"

"I thought it was better to ask anyway."

Lancer smirked at her. "Well now ya got yer answer."

Akiko went into her bag and rummaged through her things. A moment later, she pulled out a long piece of cloth. "Here, this should help you until we get back."

Akiko wrapped it over the wound and tied it tightly at the man's left hip. In an instant, the white cloth began turning red from the blood as the liquid soaked into it. The mage was going to aid him in standing. She had slung Lancer's right arm around the back of her neck and lifted him, her left arm around his waist. His right hip was slightly behind her right one so the wound wouldn't be irritated.

Shirou had just finished lifting up an unconscious and heavily bleeding Saber bridal-style when Archer came down from the school's rooftop. He crossed his arms at the sight of Lancer. "What a sorry state you're in, Cu Chulainn."

"Go fuck yerself, Archer!" Lancer retorted. "An' only my Master is allowed to use my true name! Who said you could?!"

Archer smirked. "And what are you going to do about it, wounded as you are?"

Lancer snarled. "I'll still kick yer ass even like this!"

He started to shift his weight to get off Akiko, but the teen stopped him. "You need to stop, Lancer! You're too weak to even support your own weight!"

Lancer growled in frustration, but didn't try to detach himself from his Master. "Fine, Master. Even though I really wanna punch that jerk's arrogant smirk from his face, I won't make you worry fer me."

Akiko blushed. "I really hope your talking about my concern for your current state..."

"Archer, cut it out, too!" Rin said. "The last thing we need to do is make an even bigger enemy of an enemy!"

Shirou looked surprised as reality came back to him. Right. Akiko and Lancer were enemies. But...

"How about joining our alliance?" Shirou suggested.

"Huh?!" Akiko and Lancer exclaimed.

Rin was red from anger. "Are you crazy, Emiya?!" Archer just gave Shirou a glare. The boy was becoming trusting again.

Shirou shook his head. "I'm not being crazy. Look, we lasted a good amount of time against Berserker with all of us working together. So maybe we should continue working together. It should help our chances the next time we face Berserker."

"Yeah, but you're talking about teaming up with _Lancer_ of all people! Hashomoto, I'd mostly be cool with! But not Lancer!" Rin exclaimed.

"I can _hear_ ya, y'know!" Lancer shouted.

Rin ignored him. "And he tried to kill you twice! How could you want to team up with him after that?!"

"Wait, you know about the second time?!" Akiko demanded.

Rin turned her head to look at the mage. "Emiya told us what happened." She went back to glaring at Shirou. "Well?! Can you forgive him for that?!"

"Not entirely," Shirou admitted. "But he was just following rules, and you can't blame him for it." He smiled at Lancer. "Plus, without his second attempt to kill me, I wouldn't have been forced into the shed and summoned Saber."

"Hey, even if I hadn't, ya might have accidentally summoned her another day!" Lancer pointed out.

"Yeah, but I still want to repay you for helping it happen when it did," Shirou told him.

Rin crossed her arms and turned her head away from Shirou, huffing. "I know you won't let up, no matter what, so fine! They can join! But I'm not going to be entirely trusting of Lancer!"

Archer sighed. "Since that's what Rin decided, I'll go along with it. But I'm not happy about it."

Shirou looked at Akiko and Lancer. "Well? What do you two say?"

Lancer glanced at Akiko. "Well, Akiko? Yer decision is my decision."

Akiko sighed. "Fine, we'll join. We do need allies to have any chance of defeating Berserker."

"Well, I guess that's yer answer, lad," Lancer said to Shirou.

Shirou smiled. "Good. You'll have to stay with me and Tohsaka at my house so that we can make attack plans and go out together to fight."

"Fine," Akiko told him. "But I'm not trusting enough of all of you yet to leave Lancer's safety to you while I pack. So I'll be taking him back to my house with me. But when I'm ready, I'll help him to your house."

"Will Lancer be fine? I do have medical supplies at my place."

"Like I said, even though we're allies now, I'm not ready to trust him to you for now. The temporary bandage will be enough until we get to my house. There, I'll tend to him myself," Akiko replied. "Besides, you'll have your hands full treating Saber."

"Fine, then. We'll see you later," Shirou said as Akiko helped Lancer walk off the school grounds.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

A woman lived by herself about four houses away from Homurahara Academy. All she had keeping her company were two cats.

"Who's hungry?" she asked as she walked into the kitchen. She got two meows in response. The cats began rubbing their bodies against both of her legs.

She chuckled. "Okay. I'll get your food done in a second.

Then one of the cats stiffened and turned to face the opening to the living room, arching its back and hissing. The woman glanced down at it. "What's wrong, Billy?"

An instant later, the second cat was doing the same. "Now you too, Koda? Are you both trying to scare me?"

[Footsteps of Destruction]

Then it all happened so fast. The wall to the living room burst and a magenta blur rushed in. It easily crashed through the opening into the kitchen. Then it bent its head down and gobbled the woman in two bites.

Koda attacked first, springing at the thing that just ate his owner. A massive paw-like thing swatted him to the side. He hit the wall, stunning him. Before he could recover, the thing ate him too.

Billy, while hissing, was trembling. He was covered in the blood of the woman and Koda. The creature went for Billy next. Billy tried to flee, but the menace was too fast for him. There was a massive spurt of blood and the crunching of bones as he was devoured.

[End OST]

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Once the two were at Akiko's house, Akiko set Lancer down on a thick blanket she put onto her bed. The Servant dematerialized the top half of his bodysuit. The teen removed the temporary bandage, which was dripping with the blood it soaked in, and she gently used a wet rag to clean the bloody skin around the wound so that she could see it better.

Blood was still coming out heavily, so she couldn't see that the blood began to clot a little thanks to Lancer's healing as a Servant.

Akiko bit her lower lip. The wound was really bad. He was definitely going to need stitches. But unfortunately she didn't have any sterile string. Hopefully Shirou would. Instead, she got several pads out of her bathroom and applied medicine to them. Hopefully they would be enough until she applied stitches to him.

The entire time, Lancer wasn't making a noise. Akiko thought at first he had lost consciousness. Then he softly hissed in pain from her rubbing disinfectant on the gash.

Akiko helped him sit up so that she could apply the pads and the bandages. "You're not making as much noise as I thought you would," she said.

Lancer chuckled. "I've been torn up worse durin' my first life. Trust me, this is nothin'."

Akiko finished the bandage around Lancer's abdomen by taping the end of it. "Well, I'm done now." She got the bloody blanket out from under the man. "I'll wash this and get something to eat."

"I take it that I should hold off on eatin' fer now," Lancer guessed.

"That's right," Akiko answered. "Your intestines were cut. I would normally have to take you to the hospital, but your healing as a Servant will repair them."

[Tender Scenery]

She went to the kitchen and cooked herself something to eat. After she was done, she washed out the dirtied dishes and then went back to her room to pack. By then, Lancer had already materialized his modern clothes, but not a new clasp for his hair. Akiko would have to get him a hairtie or something.

However, she froze in the doorway, staring at his turned back. He had gotten up out of the bed and was going through the drawer for other clothes for their stay at Emiya's. Akiko had gone back to the shop the next day to pick out other clothes for the man. She had seen his hair down one other day, but he had been sleeping so it was messy. And during the battle she had been too focused on what Berserker was going to do next to really look at it. And when she was putting bandages on him, she was focusing only on that.

But now she really got a good look at his hair down. It was...beautiful. She went over and, without thinking it through, combed the fingers of her right hand through the soft strands.

"Hm?"

Lancer looked up and then turned his head to look at Akiko behind him. "Need somethin'?"

Akiko blushed and retracted her hand right away. "S-Sorry!"

Lancer gave the teen that cocky grin of his. "So ya like my hair?"

"It looks really nice when you don't have it pulled up. You should leave it down more often," Akiko said without meaning to. Then she snapped her head to her right, looking like she was pouting. "Err, forget what I just said!"

Lancer chuckled. "Sorry, I'd like to. But I need to keep it outta the way when I'm fightin'."

Akiko stuck out her face to him, cheeks puffed out and lips pursed. She was still blushing. "I-I mean it! I really don't find your hair nice!"

"Then what were ya doin' ten seconds ago?"

Akiko retracted her face and her cheeks went redder. "Damn you, it's NOTHING!"

Lancer chuckled again but didn't say anything else. He and Akiko just focused on packing.

[End OST]

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

[Calm Days]

At the Emiya residence, everyone had already eaten. Taiga, known as Ms. Fujimura at Homurahara Academy, and Sakura Matou had gone home. Archer and Saber were in their modern clothes. Saber, who had already been bandaged and regained consciousness, was helping Shirou wash the dishes. As she was scrubbing a plate, her head perked up.

"Two enemy signatures just entered the residence grounds."

"That's probably Hashomoto and Lancer," Shirou told her.

Saber looked at him, shocked. "Why would they be here?! Are they planning an attack?!"

Saber had not been informed of the alliance with those two. Shirou forgot to mention that one, incidentally important, detail to her. Yeah, Shirou could already tell that she wasn't going to like the news. But he should tell her now. Otherwise she would go slashing at Akiko and Lancer the very instant they come into her line of sight.

Shirou nervously scratched the back of his head. "Hashomoto and Lancer will be staying here...until Berserker is dealt with..."

"Why?!" Now Saber looked mad. She figured out that she had been left out of something important. There was a knock at the door.

Shirou closed his eyes in anticipation of Saber's wrath. "They, uh...are allies with us now..."

"And why was I not informed?!" Saber shouted. Shirou flinched. Even though it wasn't right in his ear, it was still loud enough to make his ears ring.

"You were unconscious at the time..."

"I still should have been informed as soon as I wasn't!"

The door to the back hallway from the kitchen opened. Rin's head poked out. "Keep it down! I'm trying to study!" She and Archer were in the first room to the left.

Saber faced her, looking mad. Both of her hands were on her hips. "Were you aware of this, Rin?!"

Rin looked confused. "Aware of what?" Another knock. "Oh! They're here!"

Saber facepalmed. "So you _did_ know about the alliance with Akiko and Lancer..."

"Yeah. We discussed it after the battle with Berserker." A third knock. It sounded insistent. "One of us should answer the door."

"I'll get it," Shirou said. He just wanted to avoid Saber needling him with more details for now. He opened the door and entered the main hallway. He took an immediate right and went to the front door, which wasn't that far away. He opened it and Akiko and Lancer were standing just outside it. Each were holding a duffel bag.

"We're here now," Akiko said. "I take it you've already set aside a room for us?"

Shirou nodded. "I have, but I haven't set it up yet. But come into the kitchen." He stepped to the side, allowing the two to enter. He led them to the kitchen and they sat down next to each other at the dinner table in the center of the room. Shirou sat on the other side, across from them. Saber was by the T.V., her arms crossed and glaring at the two newcomers, full of suspicion.

"I take it _she_ was just told?" Akiko guessed, pointing to Saber. "She still looks pretty mad..."

Shirou sighed. "I imagine she'll be like this for a day or two..."

Lancer looked around. "Where's the lass an' that dick?"

"Archer, you mean," Shirou corrected. "Both are in their room. I assume both of you will be staying in the same one?"

"Of course!" Lancer replied. "I need to guard my Master!"

"Then make sure you don't let Fuji-nee know you'll both are in the same room," Shirou said.

"Fuji-nee?" Akiko questioned.

"Ms. Fujimura," Shirou told her. "Saber told her that's she going to sleep in the same room as me, and she forbade it. Now the best we can do is sleep in rooms right next to each other. Tohsaka managed to hide the fact that she and Archer are sleeping in the same room."

"Got it," Akiko said.

"It's getting late. We'll talk more tomorrow." Shirou stood up. "I'll show you both to your room and lay out your futons."

[End OST]

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Shirou gave them the first room to the left in the main hallway, to the left from the kitchen. He left after getting the futons out for the two. A moment later, Akiko was going through her clothes.

"Cu Chulainn, can you leave the room for a minute?"

Lancer got up from his spot on the floor. "Sure, sure."

He exited the room and closed the door so Akiko could get changed in privacy. Several minutes later, Akiko opened the door. "You can come in now, Cu Chulainn."

[Embrace]

Lancer faced her and it felt like the breath had been taken out of him. Akiko was wearing a light blue nightgown. The same one she wears at home. But Lancer never noticed before how pretty she looks in it since he's never seen her wearing it in the faint glow of the light from a lamp behind her.

She blushed and looked away shyly under his stare. "What's wrong? Do I have something on my face?"

Lancer shook his head, snapping himself out of his daze. "N-No! I just...haven't seen ya in a faint light before! Yer...beautiful."

Akiko's cheeks went redder. "You sure know how to flatter a girl, don't you?"

Lancer went over to the girl, standing right in front of her. He placed his hands on either side of her waist. "It's not flattery. I'm speakin' the truth."

Akiko quivered slightly. "Uh...you're kinda close..." She didn't say anything about his hands, which were slowly traveling up her body. Right now, they were on either side of the bottom of her chest.

He gently backed her into the room and slid shut the door behind him. "Yer turnin' me on..." His hands reached their destination. Both gently grabbed her breasts.

Akiko's entire face flushed. "W-What are you doing?!"

"Ya should know what I'm doin'. I'm pretty sure yer not ignorant of this act..."

She wasn't. She knew what he was planning. "W-Wait..!"

He leaned in close, his lips nearing hers. "We're gonna have some fun..."

Then she did the last thing he expected her to do. She slapped him across his left cheek with her right hand. There was a handprint on his cheek. "Snap out of it!"

[End OST]

Lancer took a step back, eyes wide as if he also didn't know what had gotten into him. "I...I...Sorry!"

"You need to control your urges!" Akiko shouted. "If I said I don't also have them, I would be lying! But despite having them, I'm not going to give in to it! That's because I know I'm not mentally prepared yet and I have the willpower to resist the urge!"

Lancer looked away in embarrassment. "Yeah...sorry I just about forced myself onto ya..."

"But..." Akiko grabbed the sides of Lancer's face and forced him to look her straight in the eyes.

"A-Akiko..?" he stammered.

She silenced him by placing her lips over his. She continued to kiss him for a few seconds. Then she pulled away.

Lancer spoke first. "What was that about?!"

Akiko released his face. "That was for risking your life to save me in our fight against Berserker." She turned around. "We should be going to sleep."

Lancer was still processing what just happened. "Y-Yeah..." He went to the futon nearest to the door and layed down in it.

[Troublemakers]

Lancer dematerialized his modern clothes and patted the empty spot in the futon, to his left. "Come snuggle with me, Akiko!"

Akiko had shown tenderness to him during the kiss. But it was gone now. She narrowed her eyes at him in suspicion. "...What's your objective with this? You realize we each have our own futons, right?"

Lancer barked out a single laugh. "C'mon! Don't look at me that way! Trust me, I won't try anythin' else on ya until yer ready! I just wanna sleep close to ya!"

"Fine." She went to the futon. "As long as you're not planning for us to have sex yet or anything."

Akiko slipped under the covers and pressed herself against her Servant. Lancer smiled at her. "Trust me. I won't do that to you unless ya ask fer it."

"Well, this is you I'm dealing with. I can never be too sure." She was referring to his legend and what he just tried to do to her.

"Normally, yes. But I'm willin' to wait if it deals with someone special."

"Are you? You just tried something on me like 20 seconds ago," Akiko pointed out.

"Yeeeeah, not what I meant to do..."

Akiko breathed out a heavy sigh. "You're hopeless, you know?"

[End OST]

* * *

 **[1] W** **er jeskic di wer fueryon oposs vhira acht wux = The fangs of the beast rain down upon you**

 **[2] V** **i krikvlic di ixen wielga! Lyriki demak coi! Bekilip nkyorlic wer thaczil vhir! Dout mamiss geou xkhat vignar! = A tear of fire fell! Others join it! Destruction awaits the land below! Your body will become ash!**

 **Remember to review.**


	6. Day 6

**I know this was late. But I'm swamped right now with college homework and studying for tests. So from now on, expect most of these future chapters to be two weeks or more for me to post. Unfortunately, my computer has a common software issue for this brand that makes me unable to charge it when I have it on. It can only be charged when I have it off. And most of my assignments are online, taking so much time that it drains the battery.**

* * *

 _Lancer and a blindfolded woman with long light purple hair were running at blinding speeds at each other. They met in the middle of the space between the two at the start, grinding their weapons together. Sparks flew out in a shower as the edges of the blades on the two daggers the woman held clanged against the shaft of Gae Bolg. Then the two broke apart and jumped back from each other. They got ready to strike again._

Then as the dream ended, Akiko saw it was happening just outside the school building. But the area seemed to be bathed with red light for some reason. But the view she was seeing the fight from didn't show what the source was. It seemed to be coming from above their heads.

Akiko awoke to the smell of food coming from the kitchen then groaned. For some reason, it felt like it was important that she saw every last detail. Was it a vision then? If so, she had to let Lancer know.

She saw that Lancer was already awake. But he was groaning in pain, his hands over the bandaged gash. Fresh blood was on a good majority of the bandages and on his hands. Since Akiko was low on mana, he was preserving as much as he could by having less go to healing his injury.

"Are you okay?!" the Master exclaimed. Lancer, who had his eyes squeezed shut in agony, cracked one open slightly to look at the girl.

"Not really. I woke up an hour ago because my wound opened again."

"An hour?!" Then Akiko hurriedly looked at the futon. Blood was soaked into most of it, the pillow, and the blanket. "Okay, we've gotta take care of this right away!"

The door slid open. Shirou poked his head through it. "Did you two sleep well last night?"

"Yes for me, but no for Lancer," Akiko replied. "Do you have any sterile string for stitching I can use?"

He was about to ask her why she needed it, but got his answer an instant later. His eyes fell on the blood that had gotten on the futon. "Just a second!" Then his head vanished from the doorway.

She undid his bandages and peeled off the blood-soaked pads on the man. The wound looked bad. It was crusted with dried blood and had fresh blood oozing out. But at least it didn't look infected.

Shirou came running back a moment later and tossed Akiko a first-aid kit and a lighter. "Here. Come out to the kitchen when you're done!"

"Thanks!" Akiko said back. Shirou disappeared from the doorway again. Akiko pulled out a needle and lit the lighter. She ran the needle through the little flame and then went to work. She softly blew out the flame and threaded the needle. She looked at Lancer.

"Brace yourself."

Lancer nodded quickly and his Master started. He only hissed softly when Akiko rubbed disinfectant on his wound, but had to bite his lower lip to keep himself from crying out when she started on the stitches. The process only took a few minutes, but it felt like hours to him.

"Done with that," Akiko said when she finished off the last suture. Then she got out a pad from the kit, applied medicine to it, and layed it on the stitches. Then she got out a roll off bandages and wrapped over his entire abdomen. While she was doing all that, she spoke to him. "I had a dream, but I think it may have been a vision."

"A vision?"

"Yeah, though I don't know for sure. But for a reason I can't explain it felt important."

"So assumin' it was a vision, what did ya see in it?"

"It was at school, though I don't know what day. You were fighting a strange woman with a blindfold. And I think she may have been a Servant. Her swift movements suggested she was one."

Lancer looked at her seriously as she helped him sit up so she could apply the pads and bandages. "In that case, maybe we should let the others know so that they will be on alert fer anythin' strange goin' on there."

Akiko reached behind her for the roll of bandages she set there. "No. When we become enemies again, they can't know about that thing I have."

"Then how are we supposed to watch fer anythin' strange?!"

"Until it happens, you'll keep a lookout with the other two Servants like normal. I want you to do this so you won't look suspicious. But I'll keep you updated on anything going on inside the school."

"Fine. Just make sure you stay safe."

Akiko nodded as she finished bandaging him. There was a door to another room in the back of the one the two were in. Akiko went to that one to change. All Lancer had to do was simply materialize his. His hair was still down. A regular hairtie would be needed to replace the golden clasp. When Akiko came out a few minutes later, she was wearing a red t-shirt and blue jean shorts. She hung her bloodied night gown on her horizontal forearm. Lancer was slightly disappointed. He liked seeing Akiko in the night gown. It was blue, not as blue as his hair, but more like the blue of the sky. But it was close to that. It was an even slightly lighter shade of blue than that,

"I'm going to put this in the wash and then eat," Akiko told him. "You'll stay in here for now."

"I know," Lancer said. "I'll pass the time by readin' or somethin'."

"Fine," she replied. She went out off the room and headed down the hallway to the mud room she remembered seeing last night. She opened the washer and put her night gown in it and then shut it again. Then she went to the kitchen.

[Tender Scenery]

Taiga - Ms. Fujimura - and Sakura Matou were there eating. Taiga had eyes and hair like Ayako's. She wore a yellow shirt with horizontal black stripes, making her look like a tiger. Over it was a teal apron. Sakura wore a pink shirt over a white one and a white skirt. She had purple hair with a red-pink ribbon in it and purple eyes. Also there was Shirou, Rin, Saber, and Archer. All were eating plates of shrimp and bowls of rice.

Taiga glanced over to the door at the sound of it opening and then just stared at Akiko with her mouth wide open, some rice tumbling out of it. Then, she spoke. Or rather, she yelled. "SHIROU! WHY IS SHE HERE?!"

Shirou winced at the loud volume of her voice. "U-Um...she'll be staying here for a while..."

"WHY?!" Taiga didn't lower her volume one little bit.

Akiko answered. "Because a stupid drunk driver crashed through one of my walls, and I was going to stay at an inn until the repairs were done but Emiya offered me a place to sleep here." And she'd better mention Lancer before Taiga sees him and starts freaking out. "And a friend of mine, Lancer, will be staying here for now too."

"WHY WAS I NOT INFORMED OF THIS?!" Taiga still shouted, at Shirou.

"Because you don't really live here..." Shirou grumbled.

Taiga went red with anger. "I am the granddaughter of the landlord! I have a right to know what goes on in this household!" Then her head snapped back to glare at Akiko. "And why is this 'Lancer' with you?!"

Akiko didn't remember being scolded like _this_! Was this what a mother is like? "Umm, well..." How was she going to respond to this without giving away the fact Lancer's a Servant?! "He, uh, didn't have enough money for even a room at the inn for the amount of time he would be spending here and still have enough cash left for a plane ticket back to Ireland...So...I offered to let him stay with me during his trip to Japan."

Taiga narrowed her eyes in suspicion that Akiko wasn't telling her the truth. "He didn't take how much he would need to spend into consideration before he left for here?"

"Well, he said it was all more costly here than he expected."

"And you said 'he'."

Then Shirou broke in before Taiga could finish what she was going to say. "I _know_ you're going to ask them about their sleeping situation here. Don't worry. I took care of it. It'll be like with Tohsaka and Archer. They'll be sleeping in two separate rooms next to each other." Luckily, Taiga trusted him so much that she wouldn't check to make sure he's telling the truth.

Taiga sighed, though it was an angry sigh. She clearly was still not pleased by this news. Sakura stayed silent, afraid that speaking would direct Taiga's anger to her. Rin sipped from her tea with a small smile, secretly enjoying Akiko and Shirou being interrogated by Taiga. Archer took his Master's silence as a cue to do the same. And Saber didn't speak up on behalf of Akiko and Lancer. Half of it was because she was still upset with the idea of being allies with them. But the other half was because Taiga also didn't take too kindly on the news that Saber will be staying at the house. If she gave her input, Taiga might turn on her and bring up the argument on whether or not Saber should be allowed to stay.

Then Taiga finally spoke again. "Fine. But I want to talk to Lancer right now." Then she looked around. "Come to think of it, I didn't see anyone with you when you came in. Isn't he going to eat breakfast?"

Akiko sighed. Great. She was also going to have to explain _that_. "When I was coming here last night, I was attacked by some street thugs. Lancer fought them off, but his abdomen was cut up badly. And just in case anything in his digestive tract was damaged, he isn't going to eat breakfast or lunch." No way in hell was she going to say he got injured by an 8-foot giant named Berserker. And even if she did, Taiga would most likely think she had gone crazy.

Taiga looked thoughtful. "He's going to be really hungry..."

"He had a big dinner before we left." She hoped that would pass. She couldn't say he was fasting, because Taiga would see in an instant that Lancer had a slender build and wouldn't need to in the first place.

"But still - "

"You wanted to talk to him, right?!" Akiko suddenly said. If Taiga didn't stop with her questions fast, Akiko wasn't sure what she was going to say. "I'll get Lancer!" She got up and went out the door into the hallway before Taiga could finish what she was going to say. Akiko went straight to her and Lancer's room and opened the door. Lancer put down the book he was reading to look up at his Master. He was probably reading literature about the modern era to learn more about it.

"What's up?" he asked.

Akiko gestured with her thumb, pointing it out in the hall, in the direction of the kitchen. "Ms. Fujimura wants to talk to you. She's waiting in the kitchen."

Lancer grinned. "Another woman wants to talk to me?"

Akiko internally rolled her eyes. "Don't get any ideas. She's not going to flirt with you and you shouldn't flirt with her either."

Lancer pretended to pout like a child. "Aw, yer no fun."

Akiko smiled slightly in mild amusement and turned around, facing the doorway out to the main hall. "Come on, you baby. Let's go."

As the two were walking down the hall to the kitchen, Akiko briefed Lancer on everything she already told Taiga. "I said that you're a friend of mine from Ireland here in Japan for vacation. The cost of renting a room here was more expensive than you thought, so I let you stay with me. P.S, I went to Ireland two years ago. And why we're here is that a drunk driver crashed his car through a wall of my house and Emiya is letting us stay here until it's fixed. As for why you're injured, you got in a fight last night with a street gang." They reached the kitchen door. "Now you're up to speed on what I've already told her." She opened the door. "Now it's your turn."

"You must be Lancer. My name's Taiga Fujimura," Taiga said when the two sat down at the table. "I have some questions for you."

"Yeah, Akiko mentioned ya wanted to talk to me. So what is it?"

Taiga rested her right elbow on the table, resting her right cheek in the upward-facing palm. "How long do you plan on staying here?" God, did she already want the two newcomers out?!

Lancer didn't seem to understand the implication Taiga was putting out. Or maybe he did, but he just didn't react to it. "A week, maybe a little more than one. Depends on when Akiko's house gets fixed."

Taiga looked Lancer up and down. "You definitely look too old to be going to school. Do you at least have a paying job here so you're not being a freeloader?"

"Look who's talking," Shirou grumbled. But he said it under his breath so Taiga wouldn't hear him. If she did, she may either beat him up by "sparring" with him or play another nasty prank on him for revenge.

Lancer barked with laughter. "Ya make me sound like an old fart!" That was one of several of the terms used in the modern era he learned from the Grail.

"I'm not saying you are!" Taiga protested, desperate not to get on this man's bad side. Judging by the muscles on his body, he was no stranger to fighting. And if so, he could kick her ass if he felt like it. "You look young, and yet I can tell you're an adult!"

Lancer's laughs finally died down a bit to chuckles. "Don't worry. I knew what you meant. But I got a position as a waiter at Ahnenerbe. So its not like I won't be a source of money too."

"I hope you and Hashomoto aren't...together."

Akiko sweated heavily. Even though both have feelings for the other, they haven't acted on them. Well, excluding Lancer's unconscious attempt last night. But with Lancer's big mouth, he could possibly brag about it. And if he did, Taiga might make sure herself that she and Lancer weren't sleeping in the same room.

Thankfully, Lancer wasn't that stupid. "Nope. We're just friends." Then he said something a little stupid, but hopefully Taiga wouldn't pick up on what it implied. "But I hang around Akiko a lot to defend her."

But Taiga didn't pick up on it. She was more interested in the fact that this guy claimed to be tough. Sure he looked it on the outside, but to openly say that was a challenge to Taiga. "Are you, now? But you got your ass handed to you by some nobodies on the street last night protecting Hashomoto."

Lancer glanced at Akiko quickly. She didn't mention _that_ little detail to him! Akiko blushed in shame and looked away. She didn't tell him the reason he got beat up because it might make him sound like a weakling.

Lancer internally sighed and looked back at Taiga. Her cheek was out of her palm and her elbow was no longer on the table. Now she was leaned forward slightly, staring at Lancer in competitive interest. Lancer continued. "My fightin' isn't as good when I'm defendin' others."

Taiga crossed her arms in front of her chest and had a cocky grin on her face. "So you claim that if you aren't defending others, you're a champ fighter?" Shirou facepalmed. Here she goes challenging the guests again, just like with Saber and Archer...But both beat her in kendo in like three seconds. One second for her to sprint at them, swinging her bamboo sword. The next for her opponent to disarm her effortlessly. And the last was to tap her on the head with their bamboo sword and for Sakura to call the match finished. "Do you think you can take me?"

[End OST]

[Troublemakers]

Lancer looked mildly surprised. "Wait, I never said anythin' about fightin' you!"

Taiga shot up, still having her arms crossed. But the grin changed to an "I challenge you" one, or it could also be looked at as the one she has when she's planning to take someone down several notches. "Don't think you can talk your way outta this! And to make it interesting, we'll make a bet!"

"A bet?" Even in his time, several of the Red Branch Knights would bet on the winner of an upcoming fight, be it a brawl between two "tough" guys or an upcoming battle. The loser would have to give up things like the currency used in Ireland at that time or some dried meat for duties that would keep the person away from home for a while. And Lancer would often participate in the wagering. Something about gambling was a thrill of his other than fighting. "Sure! What are the stakes?"

"If you win, you and Hashomoto can stay here!"

"And if I lose?" That wasn't likely, but his injury could dampen his fighting.

"Then both of you have to leave!"

"Hey!" Shirou stood up. "That's not fair! Lancer's injured!"

Taiga glanced at him, her facial expression changing to a neutral one. "I know, but he thinks he can take me on right now."

Now Akiko protested, but she remained sitting. "He never said that!"

Then Sakura finally broke her silence. "U-Um, Ms-Ms. Fujimura...It's true...He never s-said anything like that!"

Archer closed his eyes and smirked. "No, he did say that." He just wanted to see Lancer get beat into next week.

Rin elbowed him in the ribs. "Shut _up_!"

Saber stayed silent, sipping the rest of her tea. She was secretly with Archer on the whole Lancer thing for now, but not as much. Even though Lancer was an enemy Servant, she was being forced to team up with him. But that didn't mean she liked it. And even though Archer was also her enemy and she should hate him, she couldn't. Something about him was familiar to her, like she knew him before. And as for the other two Masters, she wasn't as worried about them. Even if they suddenly attacked her, they shouldn't pose much of a threat to her.

Lancer stood up, head tilted down and his blue hair shadowing his eyes. Akiko looked at him in surprise. "Lancer?!"

Then Lancer brought his head up. He was looking Taiga in the eyes, a cocky smirk from one cheek to the other. "Sounds fun! Yer on!"

Akiko smacked her forehead down on the table. When she lifted it again to glare at Lancer, a big red circle was on her forehead. "Are you stupid?! What about your wound?! If you open it again on something this stupid, I'm not patching it up again for you!"

Shirou facepalmed again. "Fuji-nee, you and Lancer are technically adults, even if neither of you act like it! Can't you two settle this with something that isn't physical?! What about a drinking contest?!"

Taiga closed her eyes and smiled, looking confident that she'll be able to beat Lancer. "Nope! Since Lancer's Irish, he's able to drink lots!"

Lancer had read about that stereotype at Akiko's house. "Hey! That was uncalled for! And we're settlin' this with a spar! Nothin' else!"

Rin sweatdropped. "...He's really got his mind set on this..."

Akiko sighed. She had a feeling that since Lancer was being like this, she couldn't talk him out of it. "Fine! But just be mindful of your wound, Lancer!"

Lancer's grin widened. "Don't worry! I'll make sure not to push myself too hard! So, Taiga. Got a place where we can do this?"

Taiga opened her eyes and grinned. "Of course there is! We've got a dojo here!"

"So how're we gonna do this? Wrestling? Martial arts? Weapons?"

"We have bamboo swords."

Akiko spoke up. If Lancer went through with this, chances are good he'll break the stitches. "Well, sorry! It looks like Lancer won't be able to do this after all! He fights with long weapons like spears!"

Lancer glanced at Akiko, his face falling until he had a normal expression on it. "I can fight with swords. Granted, I'm not as skillful with 'em as I am with spears. But if I'm forced to fight with one, I can at least kick ass with it."

Akiko grit her teeth and let her face fall onto the table. She kept doing this over and over, frustrated that her Servant wasn't taking the hint that he shouldn't do this! "Dammit, dammit, dammit, dammit, dammit!" She said dammit each time her forehead hit the table.

Saber sighed, finally speaking. "Boys will be boys..." She sympathized with Akiko's frustration. Shirou facepalmed then glanced at Taiga again.

"Hold on. Wouldn't it be more of a challenge for you if the guy you're about to fight isn't injured? Why not wait until he heals?"

"Who knows how long that will take? Hashomoto's house could be fixed by then," Taiga replied.

Actually, he would probably be better in a couple of days, thanks to the healing speed of a Servant. But Taiga wouldn't know that. As far as she knows, Lancer is just a normal person.

Lancer grinned, once again showing two rows of white teeth and two small, pointy canines. He cracked his knuckles, them giving a loud 'pop!' "Even though I'm injured, I still feel I could put up a good fight!"

Taiga crossed her arms and grinned in excitement. "Then let's go! Follow me!"

She left the kitchen, an eager Lancer following closely behind her. Sakura took off after them when they first entered the main hall. "W-Wait for me!"

Akiko sighed as she got up, heading to the hall. The other two pairs of Masters and Servants followed her. "Ugh, why'd I get paired with a reckless Servant like _him_?!" But it was quiet enough that Taiga or Sakura wouldn't hear her. Just the other Masters and Servants.

Rin giggled. "You say that, but in reality, you actually care for him a lot, don't you?"

Akiko inwardly groaned. She knew what Rin was implying. But the silver-haired mage would play dumb. She wasn't about to play Rin's game. "Of course I do. He's my partner after all."

"Actually, Akiko, what Rin means is that you - " Saber started to say, but Akiko cut her off.

"I know what she meant, Saber!"

Archer grinned. "It seems that she has trouble expressing her love to another man."

"Fuck off, Archer!" Akiko shouted. Archer sighed.

"...However, you and Lancer's responses to me are identical..."

"Well, you really grate on my nerves! And Lancer's too!"

"Come on, guys! Can't we all get along?!" Shirou pleaded.

"We can if _he_ doesn't try to piss me or Lancer off!" Akiko yelled, pointing at Archer.

Archer just huffed a single laugh. "I can't make any promises..."

Rin sighed as the five came to the dojo. Taiga was getting the bamboo swords and Sakura was sitting down on the floor at the back of the room. "Look, Archer, let's just finish off Berserker before you make Hashomoto and/or Lancer want to rip your head off first." They went into the large room, crossing it and sitting by Sakura. Rin made Archer sit with her at Sakura's right while Akiko, Saber, and Shirou sat to the junior's left. Rin had a feeling that if Archer sat on the same side as Akiko, it would just result in a fight between the two.

Taiga held he bamboo sword in her right hand. She threw Lancer another with her left hand. The man caught it easily in his right hand. The two went to the center of the dojo. They both faced each other, about five meters between them. Both held their bamboo swords at the ready, but only Taiga held it tightly with both hands. Lancer still held his loosely with one, confident he would need to try hard in order to win.

"Remember to be careful not to reopen your wound, Lancer!" Akiko yelled out. Lancer grinned and turned his head to look at her.

"Don't worry! This will be over in three seconds flat!"

But while Lancer's head was turned, Taiga ran at him, holding her sword over her head. "Don't get cocky!"

"Ms. Fujimura! I didn't say start yet!" Sakura exclaimed.

Lancer grinned wider and Shirou facepalmed. "Oh boy..."

Akiko sighed in agreement. "This is over. It's Lancer's win."

Sakura glanced at her. "How do you know?"

"Just watch."

As soon as Taiga swung her sword down at Lancer's head, the demigod flicked his own up at the bottom of the opposing sword without even turning his head back to look. An instant later, Taiga was left blinking in confusion. Both of her hand now held onto nothing. Where did her sword go? But less than a second later, she got her answer. Behind her, she heard the clatter of something made of wood or something similar hit the ground. It was her bamboo sword.

Lancer sighed in disappointment and tapped Taiga on the head with the one he held."Yer grip was strong, but yer attack was sloppy. You left yerself open fer any other attack. A stab to the heart, stomach, or any other vital organs. And with how tightly ya gripped the handle of yer sword, it was easy fer me to use that strength against you."

Shirou breathed a sigh of relief. It was over. Or was it?

Taiga grinned and reached behind her, pulling something she had hidden inside the back of her shirt. It was another bamboo sword. "I'm not done yet!"

"Hey! That's cheating!" Akiko shouted.

But Lancer had already suspected this Taiga lass wouldn't just accept defeat that easily. Before she even had time to position her sword for a slash, the edge of the "blade" of Lancer's bamboo sword was barely touching the left side of her neck.

"I'd say yer done now."

Taiga's face scrunched up like she was trying to keep herself from crying. "Give me a break! You're the third newcomer I've lost to!"

Lancer grinned and pulled his sword back. He rested the top of the "blade" on his right shoulder. "Just accept it! Ya may claim to be one of the best here in Japan, but it's different in other countries!"

Taiga hung her head and slumped her shoulders. Her bottom lip stuck out in a pout. "I hate you foreigners in that regard..."

"So I take it Lancer and I can stay here for now?" Akiko asked Taiga.

"Fine..." was Taiga's disheartened reply.

"And, um..." Akiko bit her lower lip nervously. Geez! She'd never seen Taiga look _this_ unhappy! "I'll be inviting Mitsuzuri over...Will that be okay..?"

Taiga groaned. She was still upset over her loss. "Whatever..."

Akiko got up and decided to leave the room before...well, she didn't actually know what was going to happen if she stayed. But she had a feeling she should get out right away. "Lancer! Let's go."

[End OST]

"Fine, fine," was Lancer's reply. He walked past a still-sulking Taiga and put his bamboo sword back into the weapons' storage. Then he followed Akiko out of the dojo and into the main hall. He ended up following her back to their room.

The Master looked around. "I swear my duffel bag was right here..."

Then Lancer spoke up. "Oh, that? I put it in the other room with mine so they wouldn't get in the way."

"I'd wish you told me earlier!" Akiko snarled. She went into the other room.

Lancer scratched the back of his head. "Well, _sorry_ fer tryin' to clean up a bit!"

Akiko didn't reply. She just growled again. After fishing through her things in the bag, she finally found her cell phone and pulled it out. Then she went through her contact's list until she found Ayako. Well, she didn't have to really search through it. Ayako's name was at the top of the list. She hit 'call' and held the phone up to her ear. After about three rings heard on the receiver, someone picked up.

"Hey, Hashomoto! What's up?!" came the voice on the phone.

"Um, Mitsuzuri, I'm at Emiya's house..."

"Emiya's? But why?"

"A drunk crashed his car into my house wall last night, and Emiya offered for Lancer and I to stay here until my house is repaired."

"Sorry to hear about that. But I can come over and meet Lancer?"

"Yeah. How does tomorrow sound?"

"That's fine. I don't have anything going on then. Should I come at 2?"

"Sure."

"Great. See ya then!" Then there was a long beeeeeeeep sound as Ayako hung up. Akiko hit end and went into the room she and Lancer were sleeping in, putting her cell phone next to her unused futon.

"Hey, Lancer? Mitsuzuri is coming tomorrow to see you," Akiko told the man.

"I know. I heard both of you."

"Sooo, do you want to do something specific today?"

"Nothin' I know of. If ya wanna do somethin', that's fine."

"How about we go into town again?"

Lancer, who had been laying on the ground on his back with his hands behind his head, gave a massive groan as he sat up. "Fine, whatever."

The two went over to the front door where their jackets were hanging. The kitchen door opened and Shirou stuck his head out into the hall. He and the others were already back there as Shirou prepared lunch. "Where are you two going?"

"Out into town," Akiko replied.

"For a date?"

[Troublemakers]

Akiko's cheeks heated up. She snapped her head in Shirou's direction. "No, it's not a date!"

Then Taiga's voice went into the hall. "Did I hear someone's going on a date?"

Shirou spoke back into the kitchen. "Yeah. Hashomoto and Lancer."

Akiko's face was completely red now. "Didn't you hear me?! IT'S NOT A DATE!"

Then Taiga spoke again. She had completely blown Akiko's protest off. "Fine, they can spend time together. But I'm putting my foot down to it leading to anything else."

And while Akiko was putting on her jacket, still red from embarrassment, she heard Rin. "A date? He sure works fast."

[End OST]

And then Akiko went out the door, yanking on Lancer's arm behind her, and slammed the door shut before she could hear any more comments or opinions on this. She faced Lancer. "Look, this _isn't_ a date!"

"I know," Lancer replied. But that cocky grin of his showed he actually thinks it is.

Akiko growled something under her breath that sounded like a string of curses and walked out onto the sidewalk with Lancer. "Why in the world do they all think it's a goddamn date?!"

Lancer, still grinning, put his right arm around Akiko's shoulders and pulled her in right against him. "Aw, c'mon! Let's just have fun together!"

Akiko went redder than what was originally thought possible for her. Lancer was warm. His body heat was contrasting greatly with the cold air surrounding the two. She had the sudden urge to just sink into his warmth. But she resisted it, pulling away from the man. "P-Please don't do that!"

"Why? What's wrong with it?"

"J-Just forget it!" Then she cleared her throat in an effort to hide her embarrassment. "A-Anyway, onto our first stop!"

[Surrounded by Smiling Faces]

She led Lancer to the entertainment district and into a video game store. While Lancer was gazing at the other available games, Akiko wanted to see if enough time had passed for the price of the game she had her eyes on went down. It had only a little, but not enough. Akiko would wait for more time to pass.

She went back near the entrance of the store to spot Lancer gazing through the PS2 games. "Come on. Let's go."

"Aww, but I wanted to browse a bit longer!"

"No, we're going to look for a food vendor. I'm getting hungry."

The two went out the store and only had to walk a little ways before they encountered someone at a food cart. Lancer sat down at a nearby bench while Akiko ordered herself a hotdog. She went back to Lancer and sat down next to him. She was about to take a bite from her hotdog when she saw Lancer looking at it with disgust out of the corner of her eye.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing'. It's just the thought of eatin' dog meat makes me feel sick."

"Dog meat? What do you mean?" She knew about his geas, but that wasn't the issue here.

Lancer pointed to Akiko's hotdog. She glanced down at it and broke out laughing.

Lancer looked slightly angry. "What's wrong with me not likin' dog meat?!"

Akiko's laughs had died down to chuckles. "I'm not saying there's something wrong, but the name is misleading!"

"Huh?"

"It's not made from dog meat! It's made with pig's meat!"

"Then why isn't it called a hotpig or somethin'?"

"Hell if I know!" Akiko laughed as she took a bite. "I can't believe you thought I was eating dog!"

"What's wrong with me thinkin' ya were?!"

Akiko tried to control her laughter so she wouldn't choke, but she was still giggling. "You _really_ need to get acquainted with certain food names."

After Akiko was done eating, the two went to a library. While his Master was looking through a magazine there, Lancer was looking through the mythology section. She sighed and put it back. It wasn't interesting enough for her to want to check out. she decided to find Lancer in the mythology section. She found his reading a book about himself.

"How accurate is that copy?"

"I've just skimmed through it so far, but they have my hair color off! They describe it as blonde!"

"Well, there aren't exactly any photographs of you, so the depiction of you varies."

"Meh, whatever!" He shoved the book back and stormed out of the library, following Akiko. Then she looked up at the orange sky.

"It's this late already?! I must've lost track of time in the library!"

"Not much of a date today," Lancer said. Akiko's hands balled into fists and her cheeks flushed.

"For the millionth time, IT WASN'T A DATE!"

[End OST]


	7. Day 7

When Akiko woke up the next morning, she was _not_ looking forward to going into the kitchen for breakfast. Last night when she and Lancer got back, over 90% of the things asked of her was how her "date" with Lancer went. And going through all of those questions made her want nothing more than to go to bed, even if it meant missing dinner. And this would also mean even sleeping in a blood-covered futon. Shirou didn't replace that one with a fresh one until after dinner.

Lancer's accelerated healing should have already repaired his intestines, even if the stitched-up gash was still there. So he could eat with everyone else, and Akiko wouldn't have to come up with another reason to Taiga as to why Lancer couldn't eat today as well. And she wouldn't think his internal injury was that serious since he wasn't at the hospital, hooked up to an IV.

At least the stitches were holding Lancer's wound closed, and he was in little or no pain, enough to sleep soundly through the entire night. Akiko gently nudged the man next to her, trying to wake him up.

"Hey, Cu Chulainn, time to get up so we don't miss breakfast."

Lancer made a sound that sounded like a cross between a groan and a whine and cracked one eyes open slightly. Once he had gotten used to the light making the walls glow, he opened it completely, the other one opening as well.

Then Akiko stood up and headed to the other room to get changed. "Get yourself clothed. I'll be out in a few minutes."

Lancer materialized his modern clothes without even budging. Akiko was in the doorway to the other room when she doubled over and clutched the sides of her head. Lancer shot up out of the futon and ran over to her side, placing his hands on both of her shoulders to steady her. "Hey, what's wrong?! A vision?!"

"Ugh..! Y-Yeah..." she managed to say through clenched teeth. One of her eyes, which were squeezed shut in pain, opened slightly to look at Lancer. The iris was yellow like the sun. It also glittered like it was full of tiny white lights.

For her, she only saw Lancer for a moment before the scene before her changed. She saw herself walking away from the school building with Shirou and Rin. Then a golf ball came flying through the air out of nowhere and nailed her on the left side of her head. Then she heard the jackass who hit it at her shout "fore!" and then the scene went away. She saw Lancer again. And the pain in her head suddenly went away. She slowly raised the top half of her body back up. Lancer kept his hands on her shoulders, afraid she would suddenly drop to the floor.

"Ya good?"

Akiko nodded. "Yeah. You can let go of me now."

Lancer released his grip on his Master's shoulders. "What didja see?"

Akiko shook her head. "Nothing important to the War. Just the fact an asshole is going to hit me in the head with a golf ball after school some day."

Lancer sweatdropped. "Okay...I guess that's somethin'...to watch out fer?"

Akiko sighed. "I am _not_ looking forward to that! Anyway, I'll get changed now."

"'K. I'll wait fer ya."

Akiko slid the door shut behind her as she got out of her night gown and into a fresh set of clothes. Some time later, she came back into the room she shared with Lancer.

Lancer scratched the back of his head. "Isn't that a little...plain?" Akiko was wearing a plain white t-shirt and blue jeans.

Akiko shrugged. "It's not like I'm trying to impress anyone. Besides, before you tell others that what they're wearing is too plain, you should take a look at your own clothes."

"Good point."

[Tender Scenery]

The two left the room and went into the kitchen. Everyone else was already there and sitting at the table except for Shirou and Sakura. Both of them were behind the counter fixing up something to eat. Moments after Akiko and Lancer sat down at the table. Lancer sitting on the cushion to Akiko's left and Akiko sitting between him and Rin, Sakura and Shirou laid out the food and got everyone plates and bowls. In the center of the table on a large plate was a cooked salmon. And by Sakura was a giant container full of rice. Once everyone was served, they began eating.

Lancer was just about to eat some of his rice when he noticed Taiga staring at him intently.

"What? Do I have somethin' on my face?"

"No, I just noticed you seem very accustomed to Japan for a foreigner."

"I do? How?"

Oh crap! Akiko forgot about coming up with an excuse for that!"

"Well, for instance, you're using chopsticks like you have been your whole life."

"I've practiced with them a lot in Ireland in anticipation of my trip here."

"Secondly, you're speaking Japanese so well that you're even putting slang into it."

Akiko glanced swiftly at Lancer. He'd better come up with a good explanation for that or both of them are screwed!

But luckily for her, Lancer had come up with a reply for that yesterday just in case Taiga brought it up. "When Akiko came to Ireland, she taught me basic Japanese. Then later, we kept in touch over the phone. That helped me speak it well."

Akiko internally breathed a sigh of relief. He sounded so confident in his answer that it was hard to tell that he was lying.

"That all?" he asked, eating a piece of salmon.

"That's it," Taiga replied.

"Hey, Fuji-nee!" Shirou suddenly said. "If you're going to want seconds, you'd better take some now!"

"Huh? Why?" Then Taiga got her answer when she glanced at Saber. The Servant had already finished her first serving and was now reaching to get more food. "Saber! Don't finish off the rest before I get to it again!"

Saber was using her chopsticks to pick off pieces of salmon and putting them on her empty plate. "You need to be faster. I am not about to wait for you."

"BUT I WANT MORE FOOD!"

[End OST]

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

In their room, Akiko was studying and Lancer was laying back in the futon, staring at the ceiling. Then, he looked at his Master.

"This has been buggin' me fer some time, but I'm guessin' yer mystic eyes had somethin' to do with the death of yer parents, am I right?"

Akiko visibly stiffened. "Why do you say that?"

"It's just an assumption. So, did I get it right?"

Akiko inhaled deeply and let it out before replying. "Okay, fine. You guessed it. And a damn lucky guess at that."

"If ya don't mind me askin', what happened?"

The Hashomotos had weak magic circuits that didn't make them that outstanding as a mage family. That changed when Akiko was born.

"I was born with stronger magic circuits than a Hashomoto would normally have. And so my parents wanted to use me to make a name for our family in the mage world. So I was drilled in magic for most of my childhood. But it never felt like to me that my parents truly loved me. Sure, they kept me close and gave me the care I needed, but that was to keep me alive long enough to bring them fame. So I never really felt much love for them back."

"If that's how ya felt about 'em, why is yer wish to bring 'em back to life?"

"Ten years ago, we had gone to the shopping district. But the other day, I had a vision."

"Ten years ago...that's when the disaster happened! So did you predict it?"

"More specifically, I predicted my parents' deaths. We were running in the direction of the bridge. And then part of a burning building fell down on both of them, pinning them down. But I didn't tell them of that before we left. I could have used my magic to free them from the wreckage, but I didn't."

"Why?"

"As I said, I never felt like they truly loved me. And for revenge, I would let them meet that fate. But a little bit after I had run away, leaving my parents to die in that fire, I realized that what it was that I had allowed was wrong. No matter how upset I was at them, they did not deserve to die. But I couldn't undo that event. And that is why I desire the Grail. I can't undo the fact that disaster happened, but I can at least use it to undo the deaths of my parents."

"So that's yer reason..."

"Of course, it'll be a moot point if we both end up dying in this thing."

"Don't worry. I swear to see ya through to the end of this."

"So you're okay with the reason I want to bring my parents back to life?"

"Well, not really with what ya did to yer parents that day, but at least yer tryin' to right that wrong."

"And you? You have a wish you want granted, right? Or is the reason you're here really just to fight?"

"I really don't have a wish in mind. I guess I'll think of one if we win the cup."

"If? But I thought you said you'd help me see this War to the end."

Lancer exhaled softly as he sat up, still on the futon. "I'll certainly try my hardest to win in fights, but I can't guarantee that I'll actually come out victorious."

"Oh, I see..." Then Akiko blushed. "A-Anyway, changing the subject, how do you presently feel about...Emer..?"

"Whaddaya mean?"

"D-D-Do you still...love her?"

Then Lancer flashed his Master that jackass smirk of his. "What? You jealous?"

Akiko went redder and she looked away from the Servant in an effort to hide her face. "No way! I was just curious!" Lancer chuckled and stood up. He went over to Akiko and made her face him. He was holding her chin with one hand and the other was at her waist. "H-Hey! What are you doing?!" He silenced her by placing his lips over hers.

After a few seconds, he broke it off and looked Akiko in the eye. "I loved her in my first life. But this is my second. Yer special to me." He pulled her into his chest in a hug. "Ya don't need to worry 'bout my mind bein' on others except you."

Akiko unconsciously returned the embrace. "It's not like I was worried or anything..."

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

[Whirlpool of Fate 2]

A man lived by himself in a cabin in the woods near Homurahara Academy. No one came by it because just about all of the people in the town heard the man was crazy. Some had their doubts, though. It might have been because the man didn't spend any time with the townsfolk so they would get to know him better. Or maybe it was because the woods the man built his cabin in was rumored to be haunted. They still didn't want to risk their lives finding out the truth.

Anyway, the man lived alone, except for one dog. It helped keep the man company. The dog was a beagle, the top of its head almost to the man's knees. It had short fur of light brown and white. And it loved to yap and yap. The man grew annoyed by this.

"Shut up!" he shouted. But the dog didn't do that and went on yapping like it always does. This went on for five days and five nights. The man kept telling it to shut up, but the beagle wouldn't do that. The man, wanting to get some peace and quiet in the cabin, went to the kitchen and opened one of the drawers and pulled out a large knife for cutting meat. Taking the knife with him, the man went back to the beagle, who was still barking, and lowered himself onto one knee so his torso was even with the beagle's head. He was gazing down at it with a blank look in his eyes as he grabbed the beagle's tongue with his free hand.

"I told you to shut up," was all he said.

With the knife in the other, he turned it upside down so the tip of the blade was pressing onto the side of the tongue. The beagle was trembling as it tried to pull away, but to no avail. The man jerked the knife, and in one motion, severed the tongue -

[Stop OST]

"Ahhhhhhhh! Stopstopstopstop! Please STOP TELLING THIS!"

Eleven heads turned to the person who screamed. It was the inside of the shed at the Emiya residence. It was night right now. Candles placed in the center of the circle of twelve lit the room. The room gave off a feeling of foreboding, like something was about to happen. Perfect for telling horror stories.

[Troublemakers]

The one who screamed was Kaede Makidera. She was shaking like a leaf in a windstorm. Her black eyes were wide, her clenched teeth were chattering, and she was sweating heavily. She was wearing a black jacket with red stripes on the sleeves and green shorts.

"Maki, it's just a story," one of her friends, Kane Himuro, said. She had grey hair, hazel eyes, and wore glasses. She was wearing an outfit like her Homurahara Academy one. Ayako grinned. She wore a pink jacket over a white shirt and blue pants.

"Did my story really scare you that much?"

Kaede laughed nervously, an attempt to hide her embarrassment. "O-Of course it didn't!"

The girl, Yukika Saegusa, spoke. She had red-brown hair, brown eyes, and wore a yellow sweater and tan pants. "You can't handle scary stories, can you, Maki?"

Kaede stuck out her lower lip like she was pouting. "Of course I can!"

Ayako had a grin like an imp planning a prank. "Whatever you say..."

Saber, who was sitting in the circle, put a hand to her chin, "Still, it is pretty cruel, cutting a dog's tongue off just to silence it. And the pain would be unnecessary as that act would not be enough to make it be quiet. " Shirou, Rin, and Akiko had introduced Saber, Archer, and Lancer to the others in the circle, Ayako Mitsuzuri, Kaede Makidera, Kane Himuro, Yukika Saegusa, and Issei Ryuudou. Sakura Matou was also in the circle. The Servants had been introduced as foreigners, just like with Taiga.

"I haven't even finished!" Ayako exclaimed. "The man has a thing for collecting severed tongues! He did it to this one little kid he kidnapped because -"

"SHUT UP!" Kaede shouted. Everyone except Kane, Yukika, Sakura, and Saber snickered.

Ayako spoke. "In a nutshell, the missing people near our school were caused by him! He -"

"ENOUGH!"

Akiko understood why those visions showed up. They were showing her the pieces of Ayako's story. The disturbing parts. The ones that freaked Kaede out. The future could have been changed if Akiko hadn't invited Ayako. But she wouldn't see Kaede's reaction to the story, either. "Well, before Makidera wets herself -"

"I WAS NOT going to!"

"- we should stop with the stories."

[End OST]

Ayako did had the others come because she said to Akiko that "this party would be boring without scary stories to tell at night". And when Akiko told her a party wasn't what this was supposed to be, Ayako said "I invited the student counsel president and the track-and-field team so it will be one!" And then Shirou protested that she can't just invite others to someone else's house, but Ayako just blew him off. And that's how this situation happened.

All the guests did was get acquainted with the Servants, discuss the three recent murders (One happened the same day the three Servants and their Masters fought Berserker, near Homurahara Academy, The other two were yesterday. They happened in areas of Fuyuki away from the school.), eat snacks Shirou and Sakura made, and this, telling scary stories.

When the others from the school were talking more with the Servants, Ayako went over to Akiko, who was standing by herself outside the gathering.

"So, has he taken your virginity yet?" She glanced at Lancer when she asked that.

[Troublemakers]

Akiko's eyes went wide and her entire face went red. "Mitsuzuri! That's personal!"

"Come on! Just tell me!"

"You know damn well that I don't want to get pregnant while I'm still in school!"

"What does that have to do with the question?"

"IT MEANS NO!"

"Yeesh, you just had to say it, not shout it." When Ayako walked away, Lancer went over to Akiko. He leaned his head to hers.

"Y'know," Lancer whispered to Akiko. "Since I'm a Servant, I'm not fertile. So we can do it at any time."

Akiko faced him. "Were you eavesdropping on our conversation?!"

"Well, you two weren't exactly whisperin', so it was hard fer me not to listen in on it. So, do ya wanna do it?"

Pride makes Akiko tend to not say what others are clearly trying to get her to say. She would give him the excuse again that she wasn't ready yet, but that would be a lie. She actually wanted to go all the way with him here and now.

But what came out was, "...We'll see."

Lancer grinned. "I'm lookin' forward to it!"

"I said 'we'll see', not that we'll do it for certain!"

"Yeah, but yer at the age where yer hormones are runnin' wild. I'm sure you'll wanna have sex with me eventually."

[End OST]


	8. Day 8 I

When Akiko woke up the next morning, it was only a couple of moments before the man sleeping beside her awoke. Last night, Akiko got a hairtie for Lancer to use as a replacement in case he and the other two see and have to fight something outside of the school. Hopefully, not the Servant from her vision. But just in case the Servants have to fight, Lancer would have his hair out of his face.

Akiko's stomach growled as soon as she sat up in the futon. It growled rather loudly as well. Akiko blushed in embarrassment as Lancer chuckled at her.

"Hungry, huh?" he said. "You should get some food in ya."

[Tender Scenery]

They went into the kitchen. Everyone else was already at the table. They were served bowls of rice.

"So, Hashomoto, I take it you'll be going with Shirou and Tohsaka to school?" Taiga asked as she wolfed down her rice in order to get seconds before Saber finishes the rest off.

"Yeah."

"And Lancer will be staying here?"

"Until it's time for us to go to work after school. Is there something wrong with that?"

"No. I just wanted to know."

The rest of breakfast was uneventful. Sakura and Taiga left for school right after they were done eating. The others returned to their respective rooms to get themselves ready for school as well.

Akiko took out her brush and faced Lancer. "Here, I'll help you with your hair."

Lancer was able to brush and pull his hair into the hairtie, he didn't want to spoil Akiko's good mood. So he just turned around and sat down, exposing the back of his head to her. "Sure. Go right ahead."

She ran the teeth of the brush through the soft locks of hair. She only encountered a couple of tangles. Otherwise, the brush went through it smoothly. She got the hairtie and bundled a bunch of hair at the base of his skull together. As Akiko pulled the long blue strands into the hairtie, she took a moment to run the tail through her fingers, just to feel its softness again.

When she finished, Lancer looked over his shoulder at the mage. "Now I'll do you."

Akiko sighed as she handed the brush over to Lancer. She turned around, but didn't have to kneel. He was taller than her. The top of her head only went up to the middle of his chin. "Was that intentional?" she asked as he began to run the brush through her snow-colored strands.

"Was what intentional?"

"What you said. I know it means two things."

Lancer chuckled softly. "Oh yeah, it does. I didn't think of it when I said it."

"I thought you were expressing your desire for us to just have sex already."

"Wasn't my intention, but..." He bent his head down slightly and slowly licked a trail up the back of Akiko's neck. She shivered at the sensation. Then his tongue went all over the back of her left ear and he nibbled the edge of it. "Ya wanna do it now?"

Akiko blushed at how close the man was to her now. Part of her wanted nothing more than to agree enthusiastically to his request. But another part reminded her to control her urges.

"Not right now! I have to get ready for school!"

Lancer frowned briefly in disappointment. Then he inwardly smiled. She said no for right now. But she didn't say anything about later.

[End OST]

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

[Gentle Everyday]

The three Masters went into the school building while their Servants hid in the trees near it, keeping a lookout. But Lancer was tasked with more. Akiko would update him at the end of every period, telling him how things in the building were looking. He wouldn't reply, as it could make the other two Servants suspicious that something is going on that they weren't made aware of. However, the Servant would keep an extra close eye on things and would alert Akiko if something dangerous was about to happen, regardless of whether or not the other two would hear him.

Just before Shirou branched off from the other two Masters to go into his classroom, Rin grabbed his wrist and yanked him back to the two girls.

"Hey, what's your problem, Tohsaka?!" he demanded, wincing slightly at the sharp pain her tug put into his arm.

"You, me, and Hashomoto will meet on the roof during lunch," she answered.

"Why?"

"We need to discuss if we try to track down Illya and Berserker, or if we find another Master first," Akiko said.

"Fine," Shirou replied. He tore his arm away from Rin. "Now I have to get to my class before I'm late."

As he walked to his class, 3-C, Akiko and Rin headed to their class, 3-A and sat down in their desks. Ayako walked over to Akiko.

"Yesterday sure was fun," she said.

"Especially with seeing Makidera's reaction to your story," Akiko snickered.

Ayako chuckled. "I'll let you in on a secret: I told that story _just_ to get Makidera to react that way!"

"Well, at least it worked. Oh, here comes Mr. Kuzuki."

Ayako went to her desk and sat down right as the teacher began to take attendance. Later, when the lunch period bell rang, everyone got up to eat lunch in their selected areas. Akiko was rushing to get her Trigonometry homework done. During it, she remembered to let Lancer know how she was doing.

 _'All clear in here right now, Cu Chulainn.'_

Rin walked over to Akiko, holding her bagged lunch in her left hand.

"Getting homework done?" she asked.

"Yeah."

"Are you going to be able to meet Emiya and I on the roof during lunch?"

"Don't worry. I only have four problems to go. I'll meet you two as soon as I'm done."

"Good. I'll see you then." She left the classroom.

Akiko finished her work in a hurry and ran out of the classroom with her bagged lunch. The period was half over. No one else was in the halls. Everyone had already gone to where they needed to go.

"Hey, Hashomoto!" Shinji called. Akiko inwardly groaned.

Akiko sighed and didn't even bother to acknowledge the blue-haired teen enough to look back at him. "What do you want this time, Shinji? I hope it's not to ask me to eat with you."

"I already know you're going to eat and discuss things with two other Masters, aren't you?"

[End OST]

She turned around. "What?! How did you -?!"

Then a figure, moving so fast it was a blur, jumped out from behind Shinji. Before Akiko could do anything, a chain lashed out and wrapped around her. Then everything went dark.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Lancer was in the trees next to Saber and Archer, watching the school. Suddenly, Archer spoke up, breaking the silence between the three. They were focused only on surveying the school, not even talking among one another. As soon as the man spoke, Saber and Lancer glanced at him.

"What is it?" But it was like he was asking someone who wasn't there. So he must be talking with his Master.

[Footsteps of Destruction]

"...No, we haven't seen anything strange. Why?...What do you mean she's not there?...You're sure you informed her, right?...Well, if she's not there, then where is she?...Okay, okay, sorry for asking! You don't need to yell!...Fine, I'll ask him." Archer glanced at Lancer. "Rin just contacted me. Lunch period is almost over. Akiko was to meet her and Shirou on the roof, but she hasn't shown up. Can you contact her to see what she's doing?"

Lancer sighed. "Fine." What could be wrong? She told him everything was fine like 15 minutes ago. _'Akiko. Where are ya right now?'_ No response. _'Akiko? Are ya there?'_ Again, nothing. Something must have happened. "She's not answerin' me."

Saber looked at him. "Could there be something wrong on her end?"

During that, Lancer focused on the condition of his Master, curious as to what could have happened to her to make her not respond. She wasn't even awake! In fact, upon harder concentration, he sensed that she was in danger! It was a connection loose enough to where he couldn't tell exactly what it was, so he would have to see for himself.

"Somethin's wrong with her right now," Lancer growled. "I'm gonna see what it is."

Saber and Archer followed Lancer as the man leapt from his perch in the tree. "She's in danger?! But we didn't see anything!" Saber exclaimed.

"We were observing only the front of the school," Archer pointed out. "The enemy could have snuck in through the back."

Saber, Archer, and Lancer jumped to the roof from the bottom branch of the tree they came out of. They soared over the fence of the 4th floor roof and landed in front of Shirou and Rin. Lancer was the first one to speak. "What's goin' on with my Master?!"

"That's what we're trying to find out," Rin replied.

"We'll need to find her," Shirou added.

"And we'll need Lancer for that," Rin said.

Shirou looked at her. "Why?"

Rin turned her head to look at him. "Masters and Servants are able to get a general sense of where the other is if their separated. Think of it as an internal radar."

"A radar? Then he's able to pinpoint exactly where she is?"

"Not exactly. It's hard to describe, but it's like a radar without the target dot. You know how the waves on the screen become more frequent the closer you are to your target? Well, the same goes for the tracking ability between Masters and their Servants. When tracking they feel something, a throbbing. Like a pulse. The farther away they are, the slower they'll feel the pulse. But the closer they are, the more rapid the pulse will be. Once they're pretty darn close, the pulsing will feel like the beating of a heart after a workout."

"Sorry to interrupt this conversation, but we need to look fer my Master!" Lancer put in with a growl of frustration.

"Fine!" Rin exclaimed.

[End OST]

They were about to start the search when something else happened. The ground and building shook violently. The five looked around wildly.

"What's happening?!" Rin exclaimed.

[Into the Night]

Waves of red energy suddenly appeared, streaming to a single point in the sky above the school. The energy that converged up above formed a giant blob of dark red energy that looked like blood. In the pool of energy, what looked like a single, large eye opened. A transparent dome with a tinge of red in it covered the entire school. The light within had a red glow to it. The five started to feel weak.

"This is a bounded field!" Saber said. "This one seems to drain power."

"It feels like a snake swallowed me alive!" Lancer snarled.

"Archer, use an arrow to see if this field is keeping us in," Rin ordered.

Archer materialized a black bow in his left hand. Then a sword materialized in his right. The man set the butt of the handle in the string, pulling it back until the weapon thinned, looking like an arrow. He let go of the pulled-back string and the arrow went flying, at the part of the dome blocking the trees. As soon as the arrow hit the dome, the projectile exploded. Archer sighed as he lowered his bow.

"We seem to be trapped in here. In order to get out, we must disable the source of the bounded field."

"Then let's find it!" Rin exclaimed. "It has to be the thing connecting those sigils!"

"But first, we need to find my Master!" Lancer insisted. "I need to make sure she's okay!"

"Wouldn't it be better for her if we disabled this bounded field first?!" Rin asked him. But Lancer had already broken into a run for the first floor stairs and thus didn't hear her.

Lancer was dashing through the school, tracking his Master. He got to the third floor and the pulsing was steadily growing more intense. She must be on this floor. Dust clouds formed on the ground and purple snakes rose up from them. They began slithering at Lancer, hissing the whole way.

Lancer materialized Gae Bolg in his left hand and easily put an end to the snakes. He slashed them open, lopped off their heads, impaled them on his spear, and other things. He didn't want to waste much more time. Because of this field, she was being drained too. And she was already low on mana. If this bounded field was left up for much longer, she would be in danger!

Lancer heard four sets of running footsteps going down the stairs behind him. He glanced back over his shoulder, seeing Saber, Archer, Rin, and Shirou. "Good, yer here. Akiko's on this floor, I'm sure of it." He cut down five more snakes. "But these bastards are gettin' in my way!"

"I'll take care of this," Saber said. She grasped her invisible sword with both hands. "Get back, Lancer." The man jumped back behind Saber with the others as the knight stabbed her blade forward. "Strike Air!" The vortex of wind shredded the snakes, opening a path forward.

"This way!" Lancer shouted as he ran down the hall. The others followed. The pulsing was getting stronger. Finally, it hit it's peak. Lancer stopped, seeing where Akiko should be. It was a classroom. The door was closed. "She's in here."

[End OST]

Rin yanked the door open. However, the scene they were met with was one that none of the five, especially Lancer, expected.

Shinji was in the center of the room, back to the group. On the spot to his right was a tall woman with long, light purple hair. She was wearing a short black dress, long black boots, and black gloves. Her back was also to the group.

But what really shocked them was what the woman was doing. Her face was buried in the nape of a girl's neck, clearly drinking her blood from the slurping sound the mystery woman was making. And the girl had silver hair.

[Into the Night]

"Akiko!" Lancer shouted. Shinji and the woman both turned their heads to look behind them. The woman had turned her head to the left slightly, taking Akiko's unconscious form. The five could see that the woman wore a magenta visor over her eyes and had a red symbol on her forehead that looked a bit like the number 2. Blood was trickling down Akiko's neck and shoulder from the corner of the other woman's mouth. "Hey! That's my Master!"

The woman detached her fangs that were buried in Akiko's neck and let the girl fall to the ground, her body ending up in a way that would normally be provocative if not for the blood and how pale she was now, paler than usual. The woman chuckled and wiped her mouth with the back of her left hand.

"I couldn't help myself. After all, she's a mage. And drinking her blood would provide me with much more mana than the students."

Shinji smirked. "Yeah. Rider was only helping herself to a meal."

"Let her GO!" Lancer roared. How dare this woman touch his Master! He ran at the woman and swung Gae Bolg at her from the left.

Rider jumped straight up and landed on the crimson spear. She smirked at Lancer. "Do you hate me?"

He snarled at her, a fire blazing in his eyes. "What do you think?" Then he pulled the spear out from under the woman. Her feet landed on the ground gracefully, no tripping of stumbling. But she didn't anticipate Lancer's elbow going for her abdomen at the same time she landed. The attack sent her crashing into the wall behind her, a large cloud of dust obscuring her when she hit.

In his rage, Lancer looked back at Rin. He was still able to recognize her as an ally. "Heal her NOW!" he shouted. All he saw was red. And not just from the light from the bounded field. He was angry that the Servant who put this up dared to harm his Master!

Rin looked scared of him. "R-Right!" She ran over to Akiko and went down to her knees. And in that instant, Rider came out of the crater Lancer's kick sent her into and she went at the spearman.

Lancer guarded himself against her and pushed her off. "Take down this bounded field RIGHT NOW! If not..." He raised his spear up higher in front of his body. "I'll make you by force!"

He heard Rin stand up behind him. Good. She must have finished healing Akiko. Now to finish off the bitch who hurt her in the first place!

"You'll have to catch us first!" Shinji shouted. Rider grabbed the boy and dashed out the door with him before anyone else could react.

"Damn him!" Rin hissed. They ran out into the hallway. Rider had set Shinji down to create more snake familiars from her hair. Clumps of it fell to the ground. Then they quivered and took on the appearance of snakes. She was going to try to slow the pursuers down. But it didn't work on Lancer.

"Rider!" he roared, leaping over the snakes as they approached. Rider growled in frustration when he landed in front of her. She only had enough time to raise her arms up to block before Lancer's kick to the side of her head smacked her to the side. The woman crashed through a half of one of the classroom doors. Shinji took this chance to flee down the stairs. He looked at the others. "I'll take care of her! Meanwhile, get her Master to have this bounded field taken down!" Then he sprang into the classroom before the others could say anything.

[End OST]

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

 **Interlude**

It was lunch period. Rin and Shirou were already on the roof. But not Akiko. She was already supposed to have shown up and lunch was almost over. She decided to ask Archer about this.

[Footsteps of Destruction]

 _'Archer.'_

 _'What is it?'_

 _'Have you and the other two seen anything suspicious?'_

 _'No, we haven't seen anything strange. Why?'_

 _'Hashomoto's not here.'_

 _'What do you mean she's not there?'_

 _'She was to meet myself and Emiya here on the roof during lunch.'_

 _'You're sure you informed her, right?'_

 _'Of course I did! But lunch period is almost over and she still hasn't shown up.'_

 _'Well, if she's not there, then where is she?'_

 _'That's the whole reason I'm asking you!'_

 _'Okay, okay, sorry for asking! You don't need to yell!'_

 _'If you would stop asking stupid questions, I wouldn't need to yell, dumbass!' Can you just ask Lancer to find out what's taking her so long?'_

 _'Fine, I'll ask him.'_

A few moments later, the three Servants came onto the roof. Lancer spoke first. "What's goin' on with my Master?!"

So he's also clueless? Well, that proves it. Something must have happened to Akiko.

"That's what we're trying to figure out," Rin told him.

"We'll need to find her," Shirou added.

"And we'll need Lancer for that," Rin said.

Shirou looked at her. "Why?"

Rin turned her head to look at him. "Masters and Servants are able to get a general sense of where the other is if their separated. Think of it as an internal radar."

"A radar? Then he's able to pinpoint exactly where she is?"

"Not exactly. It's hard to describe, but it's like a radar without the target dot. You know how the waves on the screen become more frequent the closer you are to your target? Well, the same goes for the tracking ability between Masters and their Servants. When tracking they feel something, a throbbing. Like a pulse. The farther away they are, the slower they'll feel the pulse. But the closer they are, the more rapid the pulse will be. Once they're pretty darn close, the pulsing will feel like the beating of a heart after a workout."

"Sorry to interrupt this conversation, but we need to look fer my Master!" Lancer put in with a growl of frustration that this conversation was taking up the time that could have been spent looking for Akiko!

"Fine!" Rin exclaimed.

[End OST]

They were about to start the search when something else happened. The ground and building shook violently. The five looked around wildly.

"What's happening?!" Rin exclaimed.

[Into the Night]

Waves of red energy suddenly appeared, streaming to a single point in the sky above the school. The energy that converged up above formed a giant blob of dark red energy that looked like blood. In the pool of energy, what looked like a single, large eye opened. A transparent dome with a tinge of red in it covered the entire school. The light within had a red glow to it. The five started to feel weak.

"This is a bounded field!" Saber said. "This one seems to drain power."

"It feels like a snake swallowed me alive!" Lancer snarled.

"Archer, use an arrow to see if this field is keeping us in," Rin ordered.

Archer materialized a black bow in his left hand. Then a sword materialized in his right. The man set the butt of the handle in the string, pulling it back until the weapon thinned, looking like an arrow. He let go of the pulled-back string and the arrow went flying, at the part of the dome blocking the trees. As soon as the arrow hit the dome, the projectile exploded. Archer sighed as he lowered his bow.

"We seem to be trapped in here. In order to get out, we must disable the source of the bounded field."

"Then let's find it!" Rin exclaimed. "It has to be the thing connecting those sigils!"

"But first, we need to find my Master!" Lancer insisted. "I need to make sure she's okay!"

"Wouldn't it be better for her if we disabled this bounded field first?!" Rin asked him. But Lancer had already broken into a run for the first floor stairs and thus didn't hear her.

Saber sighed. "We should follow him in case he runs into trouble."

Shirou gripped his chest in pain. "Ugh...You all look fine now! Am I the only one of us still in pain?!"

Rin glanced at him. "Just keep generating mana in your body."

"We need to stop wasting time and find Lancer!" Saber reminded them loudly. She and Archer broke into a run for the stairs to the fourth floor, followed closely by Shirou and Rin. It was all clear on the fourth floor, except for a red glow in the hall. They ran down the stairs to the third floor.

That's where they found Lancer, and something else. The man was using his spear to cut down purple snakes that came at him like ocean waves.

Lancer seemed to hear them. He glanced back over his shoulder. "Good, yer here. Akiko's on this floor, I'm sure of it." He cut down five more snakes. "But these bastards are gettin' in my way!"

"I'll take care of this," Saber said. She grasped her invisible sword with both hands. "Get back, Lancer." The man jumped back behind Saber with the others as the knight stabbed her blade forward. "Strike Air!" The vortex of wind shredded the snakes, opening a path forward.

"This way!" Lancer shouted as he ran down the hall. The others followed. He stopped at a closed door to a classroom. It was empty most of the time, and no one should be in it now. "She's in here."

[End OST]

Rin yanked the door open. However, the scene they were met with was one that none of the five, especially Lancer, expected.

Shinji was in the center of the room, back to the group. On the spot to his right was a tall woman with long, light purple hair. She was wearing a short black dress, long black boots, and black gloves. Her back was also to the group.

But what really shocked them was what the woman was doing. Her face was buried in the nape of a girl's neck, clearly drinking her blood from the slurping sound the mystery woman was making. And the girl had silver hair.

[Into the Night]

"Akiko!" Lancer shouted. Shinji and the woman both turned their heads to look behind them. The woman had turned her head to the left slightly, taking Akiko's unconscious form. The five could see that the woman wore a magenta visor over her eyes and had a red symbol on her forehead that looked a bit like the number 2. Blood was trickling down Akiko's neck and shoulder from the corner of the other woman's mouth. "Hey! That's my Master!"

The woman detached her fangs that were buried in Akiko's neck and let the girl fall to the ground, her body ending up in a way that would normally be provocative if not for the blood and how pale she was now, paler than usual. The woman chuckled and wiped her mouth with the back of her left hand.

"I couldn't help myself. After all, she's a mage. And drinking her blood would provide me with much more mana than the students."

Shinji smirked. "Yeah. Rider was only helping herself to a meal."

"Let her GO!" Lancer shouted. He ran at the woman and swung Gae Bolg at her from the left.

Rider jumped straight up and landed on the crimson spear. She smirked at Lancer and said something to him. Whatever it was, it didn't make him any less angry. He said something back and then he pulled the spear out from under the woman. Her feet landed on the ground gracefully, no tripping of stumbling. But she didn't anticipate Lancer's elbow going for her abdomen at the same time she landed. The attack sent her crashing into the wall behind her, a large cloud of dust obscuring her when she hit.

Lancer looked back at Rin. "Heal her NOW!" he shouted. He looked nothing like the cheerful, happy-go-lucky man the others knew. Now he looked ready to kill. His glare should be intense enough to do just that.

Rin felt genuinely scared of him. She was actually afraid he was going to attack her now. "R-Right!" She ran over to Akiko and went down to her knees. "You sure have one vicious-looking Servant..." She fished around in her pocket for a moment before pulling out something held in her fist. She uncurled her fingers, revealing a single emerald-green gem in her palm. She closed her hand again and a green light came from in between her fingers. "Verheilt. Ich bin verheilt."

As she was healing Akiko, she heard Lancer shout at someone, most likely Rider. "Take down this bounded field RIGHT NOW! If not...I'll make you by force!" Rin finished healing Akiko and stood up, turning to face the enemy Master and Servant. Even though Akiko was still unconscious, at least the color started to return to her face.

"You'll have to catch us first!" Shinji shouted. Rider grabbed the boy and dashed out the door with him before anyone else could react.

"Damn him!" Rin hissed. They ran out into the hallway. Rider had set Shinji down to create more snake familiars from her hair. Clumps of it fell to the ground. Then they quivered and took on the appearance of snakes. She was going to try to slow the pursuers down. But it didn't work on Lancer.

"Rider!" he roared, leaping over the snakes as they approached. Rider growled in frustration when he landed in front of her. She only had enough time to raise her arms up to block before Lancer's kick to the side of her head smacked her to the side. The woman crashed through a half of one of the classroom doors. Shinji took this chance to flee down the stairs. He looked at the others. "I'll take care of her! Meanwhile, get her Master to have this bounded field taken down!" Then he sprang into the classroom before the others could say anything.

"Archer!" Rin shouted as she shot a snake with a Gandr, a black ball of energy that she shot from her left set of fingertips. The hand itself was held in a chopping position. "Keep Hashomoto safe! Emiya, Saber, and I will chase down Shinji!"

Archer cut down three snakes as they lashed at him. "Got it."

"Okay!" Shirou and Saber shouted. Rin wanted at least one Servant with them when they find Shinji. Having someone threaten his life should make the coward more likely to agree to Rin's demand. Lancer was fighting Rider and Archer was left to guard Akiko. That left only Saber.

They chased Shinji to the second floor. There were no snakes to get in their way. So they must just be on the third floor. Then they chased Shinji down the flight of stairs to the first floor. The gnat ran into a classroom that was currently empty. They went into it, finding Shinji cowering behind a desk.

[End OST]

"Shinji! Make Rider take the field down right now!" Rin shouted at him as she and the other two entered the room.

"And why should I listen to you?!" Shinji demanded.

Rin crossed her arms. "Because of this. Saber!"

Saber instantly jumped at Shinji. She pointed her invisible sword at the boy's throat. The tip was probably pressing against it.

"Do what she says, or you'll lose your life," she growled.

Shinji growled, but complied so he wouldn't be stabbed by Saber. He held up the book he held. Command Seals were on the cover. "Rider, dispel the bounded field!"

One Seal on the book glowed and then the whole thing burst into flames. Shinji squealed and dropped it onto the floor.

"Your magic circuits aren't strong enough to control her current power?!" Rin exclaimed.

"This is not good," Saber said. "Even if he cannot provide her with enough power, being inside this bounded field will. After all, she's getting her power from those being drained. But now she is free of a Master's control. Our only choice now will be to kill her."

 **Interlude out**


	9. Day 8 II

[Confrontation]

The fight between Lancer and the enemy Servant, Rider, started in the empty classroom Lancer had kicked the woman into. The two humans and Saber had just left, going after Shinji, Rider's Master. Rin's Servant, Archer, was in another classroom, guarding Lancer's Master, Akiko, from the snake familiars that still roamed the third floor hallway.

The fighting between Lancer and Rider took them to the other end of the classroom. The two were fixated on the other. Lancer's back was facing the second closed set of sliding doors.

Rider materialized a dagger in her right hand. It was looped at the end of the handle. The loop held a long chain that snaked over the ground behind the woman. She then threw the dagger, point-first, at Lancer's head. The man leaned his head to his right to dodge the attack. As soon as the knife hit the other door behind Lancer, the man-made barrier flew off the track it was on and went straight back to smack the window on the back of the hall, smashing the pane and making chips of broken glass rain down on the campus grounds.

Lancer had looked back for only a split-second to see what became of the door, but it was all the time Rider needed. In an instant, she tugged on the ring she was holding on the end of the chain and the dagger came back. She grabbed the weapon and sprang at the spearman, all in one motion. She was aiming to plunge the point of the knife into Lancer's heart.

The man only had enough time to grab her arm, making the weapon go into his left shoulder instead.

"Gh!" He exclaimed in shock at the sudden pain. He then tried to break the woman's skull with the shaft of his spear, but Rider backflipped and took the dagger with her, unplugging the wound and making blood drip down. She landed on the small ledge at the bottom of one window of the hall, managing to balance on it easily. She was crouching on the ledge with her hands planted on it in between her legs. The dagger she just used against Lancer was still in her right hand. It was sideways on the ledge, her right palm holding it there. Blood coated about half the blade.

Lancer grinned as he wiped the blood with one hand. However, more blood oozed out to replace it. "Heh, ya sure are quick on yer feet."

"My agility is A, so of course I'm fast," Rider said simply, like stating a fact.

Lancer's grin became wider. "Only A? Then that means that ya don't have an edge over me when it comes to speed! After all, both of us are equal in that respect."

Rider raised her fisted right hand in front of her face, holding her dagger in a reverse grip. She was still balancing easily on the ledge, not even wobbling as she made the motion. "Right now..."

Lancer knew what she meant, that she would use an outside force to increase her speed. But this was why Lancer was confused. If this woman was really a "rider" as her class name suggests, then shouldn't she be riding a chariot or some kind of mount? But she wasn't using anything of the sort. Was there a secret to what she "rides"?

Lancer came at Rider and roundhouse kicked at the side of her chest when he was right in front of her. Trying to stop him, she stabbed him with her dagger just as he began the kick. In the right side of his abdomen. The dagger tore into the healing wound, going straight through the stitches on the front.

"Agh!" he screamed. Rider instantly knew she had hit a tender spot. She moved it slightly, getting more groans of pain from the man. The blade caught on the muscle, and the stitches held the skin together. This made him be pulled with her. As the two crashed through the smashed window, falling to the ground, Rider ripped the dagger out all the way to the man's right hip, easily breaking the stitches and opening the wound anew.

"You bitch!" he snarled. When the two hit the ground, He punched at her face with his left fist. Rider jumped back, avoiding it easily. There were now several meters in between the two. Lancer pressed his left hand to the reopened wound. His blood was coating it effortlessly.

The light outside didn't change color. It was just as red as the inside of the school was right now. Blood was dripping off the end of the blade with a soft "plip". Rider grinned like a wolf and brought the blade of the dagger to her lips. Her mouth opened and her tongue came out. It ran delicately over the blade's surface, lapping up the blood coating the metal.

"Ah, the sweet taste of another's pain," she purred. "Let's see if we can make it taste even sweeter." She opened up her left hand and another dagger materialized in it. It was just like the one the woman was licking with glee. "But I'll make sure to cut you up nice and slow. This kind of pleasure is best savored."

Lancer chuckled. "Sorry to say, but I won't let ya have that pleasure with me."

Rider brought down the dagger she was lapping at from her lips, bringing down to her side as she got ready to spring. "I love it when I have resistance while doing it. But I'll still have that joy either way."

"I swear, ya can imagine yer talkin' 'bout sex."

"Except with this 'sex', you'll die."

Lancer twirled his spear with his right hand. The other was still over his wound. "Just try it!"

[End OST]

[Clashing Souls]

Then the two seemed to vanish, both cracking the earth where they were. Less than a second later, they reappeared. They were in the center of the distance that had been between the two. Lancer had swung his spear down at the top of Rider's head. Rider had blocked it by stopping and holding the tip of the crimson spear over her head with both daggers crossed in an X.

Lancer pulled his spear back and, at the same time, threw a kick at Rider's head. The woman leaned back far enough to where the kick stopped millimeters from her nose. She used the momentum from her leaning back to backflip. As soon as her feet touched the ground, she dashed at Lancer. Rider was swinging both daggers down at the man's head. Lancer held Gae Bolg in both of his hands now. He lifted the lance up horizontally, in front of his face. This made the incoming blades meet the crimson shaft, sparks flying as the twin daggers ground into it, trying to break through by snapping the spear. While still making Lancer block the daggers with his spear, she threw a roundhouse kick at the man's right hip, where his gash is with her left leg. Lancer bent and lifted his right leg, holding it close to his right hip. His shin took the impact of the kick. Even though her kick was blocked, she kept her leg there. This made Lancer continue to hold his leg up.

Lancer grit his teeth. Now he wouldn't be able to attack or defend for now. But neither could Rider. Or, at least, that's what he thought at first. But then her hair shivered. Then it tilted, the end pointing at Lancer's face.

"Oh crap!" he exclaimed. The hair turned into chains, but with an end that looked like a spike. They shot out at the Servant in blue. Thinking fast, he tilted is spear down to his right, making the held daggers slide down it a centimeter. In the same moment, he used his left foot, which was still on the ground, to push his body to his left. Still holding up his spear, he prevented the daggers from hitting him as he moved. But as he did, the spiked chain on the edge on his left skimmed the edge of his face, slicing his right cheek. Blood trickled down from the cut. But the flow was light. The cut wasn't that deep.

"Oh, you seem to react quickly," Rider said, but emotionless. She lowered her arms and turned her head, "looking" at her enemy. her hair still looked like chains. "Let's see you dance."

The chains buried themselves in the ground. Lancer glanced down at his feet, knowing where they would appear again. Sure enough, one came up out of the ground under the man. He shifted back just in time, but then he had to jump to his right as soon as his feet hit the ground. Another chain had burst up from the ground where he landed.

"These things are drivin' me nuts!" Lancer spat. He was now having to jump and slide himself all over the place to avoid the chains that kept coming out of the ground right under his feet. "I need to get up high, where I don't need to keep lookin' at my feet."

When his feet hit the ground again, he ran straight for the school building. The chains retracted to their original length and turned back into hair. Rider smirked at the Servant fleeing her.

"Running away?"

"Like hell!" Lancer shouted over his shoulder at her. Once he was right in front of the building, he jumped up. His feet hit the wall and stayed there, like he was sticking to it. Then he ran up it like he would if on the ground. He ran up to the second floor, the third floor, and then the fourth floor all in a matter of seconds. Rider crouched down, going onto her hands and feet like a four-legged animal. The daggers were still grasped in each of her hands. She grinned, knowing what Lancer was up to.

"So he wants to take this fight to the roof? Probably to get out of range of my hair. So be it. No matter what battlefield you pick, I will still kill you." She then pounced like a cat onto the outside wall of the school building, landing on her hands and feet. Like with Lancer, she seemed to stick to the wall. She then stood up fully, only her feet on the wall now. She then sprinted up the wall to the roof. Lancer was already up there. He had disappeared over the top of the fence, out of Rider's line of sight.

However, as soon as her feet hit the chain links of the fence, what looked like a red beam of energy shot at her. She was able to jump off and leap over the fence with ease, doing a front flip over the top of it. The beam hit the fence and blasted a giant hole in it. About 70% of the fencing facing the front of the campus was gone. The edges of the hole had the metal curled out and looking burnt.

Lancer was standing in the middle of the roof, facing what was left of the fence. Gae Bolg was thrust out like he was stabbing something. He tsked and retracted his arm holding the spear, lowering the hand by his side with the tip of the lance facing down at the ground.

"Almost had ya."

Rider chuckled and held her daggers up in front of her chest, both in reverse grips. "Not fast enough, I'm afraid." Then she sprang at the other Servant, stabbing both daggers forward. Lancer leaped up just as Rider was right in front of him. In that same instant, she twisted her body to her right, throwing the dagger in her right hand up at Lancer. He used the flat of the tip of Gae Bolg to block. Rider smirked and grabbed the loop on the end of its chain. She twisted it n different directions. This made the dagger wrap around Gae Bolg, the chain tight near the tip where it had wrapped. Then she tugged the loop, pulling the spear out of the warrior's hands.

Then she twisted her body the other way and threw her left dagger at Lancer's head. Being unable to deflect it, he settled for crossing his arms in an X in front of his body. The dagger hit his left arm, which was on the outside, and dug through it all the way up to the weapon's handle.

"Gh!" he grunted. But Rider wasn't done with her attack yet. The chain connecting the dagger wound around where the dagger hit, seemingly on its own. Now the chain was tightly wrapped around his left forearm, holding in the weapon. Rider chuckled and tugged that chain's loop. This yanked Lancer down, to the woman. She unwrapped her other dagger from the spear and turned to face Lancer as he descended closer and closer to her. She held the dagger up, its tip going to run the spearman through the heart.

Right before he was going to be fatally wounded, he held out his right hand. Gae Bolg moved on its own into the outstretched hand. Then he cut the chain holding his left arm with ease. Once he was free, he turned his body so his feet were coming at Rider's face. He kicked her so hard that her body flew back into the fence covering another side. It gained a large dent in it. Lancer unwound the remainder of the chain on him and pulled out thee dagger, blood coming out of the wound like syrup.

[End OST]

Rider groaned as she got back to her feet. Blood was running down her face from her hairline and her visor had a crack over the top of the right eye.

"Damn...you..." she said. "Killing you will be hard if you are able to move your body." She put her right hand to her visor, fingers splayed out. "I'll need to fix that."

[Wandering Shadow]

Her hand pulled the visor off and the air seemed to change. It felt like the space around Lancer suddenly got heavy and it was like time had been slowed to a crawl. It was as if everything got heavy in sight of Rider's naked eyes. They didn't look normal. The cells forming them looked to be comprised of clay. The iris was pink-grey while the pupil was just a black rectangle resting in the middle.

Then she charged at Lancer, her only dagger in both hands now, primed to stab its target, Lancer's throat. Lancer was going to sidestep to doge, but his legs felt too heavy to move. What's going on all of a sudden?

Not enough time to try dodging now, and he wouldn't be able to move up Gae Bolg fast enough to block the incoming strike. However, his left hand was close to his chest from getting the dagger out. So he used it to try defending himself.

His palm was in front of his chest, palm facing out, when Rider struck. The man grunted as the blade went through his left hand, all the way up to Rider's. He was knocked to the floor onto his back, Rider straddling him as she tried to force her dagger in deeper. Lancer's hand was now pinned to his neck. He managed to make the dagger go off-course slightly. It was buried in his neck, but the edge of the blade bit into just the right edge of it, in the jugular. His blood hit the woman's face. She grinned and licked the splatters of it around her lips.

The pressure of the blood flowing in it widened the cut, causing much more bleeding. Humans would die from this, as it would cause the person to bleed out, but not Servants. Since Lancer's spiritual core wasn't damaged, this is like any of his other wounds.

Now he wondered why he was moving slowly, why his arms and legs felt as if boulders weighed them down. And speaking of boulders, Lancer got another good look at Rider's eyes. He could tell mana was infused in them. Just like...Akiko's!

He grunted as Rider tried pushing the dagger further in and he tried pushing it out. "Yer eyes...they must be mystic eyes! An' of pertrification, which is why I feel so sluggish! So yer true name is Medusa, isn't it?!"

Medusa grinned. "So you figured it out."

[End OST]

[Breach]

Lancer grunted as he used all of his strength to push the dagger out of his neck, getting the snake off him. Medusa continued to grin as she back flipped as she was pushed off Lancer. She landed gracefully, no flailing to catch her balance again. The dagger she was missing materialized back in her hand, full length of chain and all. Lancer got up, but it was slow. Well, he was going to fix the weight he was feeling on his body. Still using his left hand, he traced symbols all over his body. They looked like ancient letters, just like the one that looked like an F for Ansuz. Medusa blinked at the man in confusion. "What are you up to?"

Lancer smirked as he finished tracing the final symbol on his body. "These runes will make yer mystic eyes lose their effect on my body."

Medusa growled, baring her teeth at Lancer like a dog about to attack with a frenzy of bites. "Damn you!"

It would be thought that Lancer is skilled only with a spear, as his class name suggests. However, he is also skilled in magic, as shown during the fight against Berserker. He received the 18 original runes from his mentor, Scathach. The runes he uses can do a number of things, such as attacking or aiding him in defense. The ones he just used make him resistant to the effect of mystic eyes.

He dashed at the enemy before him with blinding speeds, stabbing his spear viciously at the woman. He aimed for various targets on her: her thighs to slow her down, her throat, her head, and her chest. Medusa tried blocking the flurry of attacks the best she could with her daggers. However, the lance got past her defense several times; it shallowly cut the right side of her neck, pierced her chest with the sharp tip going into her sternum, it indeed impaling her left thigh, as she leaned back while it went for her head it punctured the skin over her forehead shallowly, and she received various other cuts. She hopped back, out of range of Lancer's melee strikes.

She snarled at the demigod. "I originally planned to kill you slowly, but it seems I may have been having too much fun." The blood coming out of her glowed like a fire. "It looks like I must hurry it up. No more taking it easy."

[End OST]

She was right. Except for using her mystic eyes on Lancer, she had been taking it easy on him. And that was because she hadn't used an attacking Noble Phantasm on the man yet. But he was also going easy, not having used Gae Bolg's power on Medusa yet.

And why was this proof of that? They had been trying to kill each other, targeting areas that could prove fatal. However, a serious battle between Servants is a battle using Noble Phantasms. And Rider was about to use one that would be strong enough to kill the other Servant and put an end to this fight.

Her glowing blood seemed to lift off Medusa's body, forming a large magic circle in front of the snake. In the center was an eye. Then the entire magic circle glowed white, blinding Lancer and forcing him to use his right arm to shield his eyes. After a moment, the light faded and Lancer lowered his arm from his eyes. But something was different now. Medusa was no longer in front of him. In fact, she seemed to have completely disappeared from his line of sight.

A neigh from above made the man look up. Ah, there's Medusa. She was now in the sky meters above where she was on the ground. But she was on the back of something. The creature she was on looked like a full-grown, glowing white horse. It had a pair of feathered wings like a bird that were stretched out wide. It was the winged horse, Pegasus.

Lancer smirked. "Pegasus, huh? So that's why yer a Rider, isn't it?"

Medusa leaned over to the neck of Pegasus, stroking the soft, luminous fur. "That's right. And he will help me make sure that I am the last Servant in this War."

Lancer changed his smirk to a feral grin, raising his spear up with his right hand over his shoulder, the tip pointing right at Medusa. Red energy was swirling around the length of Gae Bolg, like during his fight against Saber. "We'll see 'bout that, lady!"

[Sword of Promised Victory]

Medusa then leaned back into the sitting position she was in originally, but her hands seemed to be holding something that was either invisible, or didn't exist. But an instant later, gold light was what she seemed to be holding. On closer inspection, the light was actually glowing reins. They were around Pegasus' mouth. "Time to die, Lancer!"

"You first!" he shot back. Medusa snapped the reins down.

"Bellerophon!"

"Gae Bolg!"

As soon as Medusa snapped down the reins, Pegasus neighed again. Then he came down head first at Lancer. White energy covered him. He looked like a comet coming down. Or a meteor to kill, in this case.

Once Lancer hurled the spear, more red energy seemed to explode from the tip as it shot out at the meteor like a bullet, a red thorn of destruction. Some of the energy swathed the spear like a miasma.

"DIE!" Medusa's voice shouted out from the falling meteor.

"Not gonna happen," Lancer said back. The two attacks, the thorn and the comet, met in the middle. Waves of energy shot out as the two lights competed for supremacy, to snuff out the other forever. Neither seemed to give in. Right now. "...This isn't lookin' good..." Lancer whispered. Then he muttered something under his breath.

In the next instant, a bright flash of light erupted from in between the two Noble Phantasms, like fireworks going off. Gae Bolg instantly vanished. Was it destroyed? Was it forced to go into spirit form? Did the impossible happen, and the attack itself was halted? Medusa didn't care right at that moment. All she did care was that now nothing was getting in the way of Pegasus smashing into Lancer.

The comet of light was quickly getting close to Lancer. In fact, it was so close now that he could feel the harsh winds of magical power coming from the attack. He jumped out of the way just as Pegasus smashed into the roof. The roof now had a massive, gaping sunroof in it.

Debris thrown up by the smash pelted the spearman. He shielded his face against the onslaught of concrete. Several new gashes appeared on the limbs. He hit the ground on his back hard enough to knock the wind out of him and possibly open a gash on the back of it.

[End OST]

By the time Lancer recovered, he saw Medusa standing over him. One of her daggers was raised, ready to end the battle once and for all.

"Any last words, Lancer?" she asked.

Lancer grinned up at her. "Just that ya might wanna look out behind ya."

Medusa was just about to ask the man what he was talking about when she felt a sharp pain enter through her back and go out her chest. She was speechless for a moment, then coughed up blood and fell to her knees.

"Wha..?" she whispered as she looked down to see what it was that had just impaled her. Then her eyes widened at seeing Lancer's crimson spear there. It's tip was poking out of her chest a tad to the left of her sternum. The weapon had just pierced her heart, her spiritual core. "How...did you..?" This shouldn't have happened! She _knows_ Pegasus made Gae Bolg disappear!

Lancer chuckled, still on his back. "Ya must be thinkin' that Pegasus destroyed Gae Bolg, right? Well, yer wrong."

Medusa glared at the Servant, baring her teeth. "What?!"

"Ya see, I can make Gae Bolg vanish durin' an attack usin' its power fer a set amount of time, about 15 seconds. I don't use it often 'cause it makes me defenseless an' makin' it stop blockin' an attack like yer Noble Phantasm can mean death fer me. But I decided to risk it. Anyway, when it reappears, it continues its attack. [1]"

Medusa grunted as Gae Bolg dematerialized. She covered her wound with both hands, feeling her warm blood seep out from in between her fingers. She felt her body fading, even before the specks of blue mana floated up into the air from it. "I hate to admit it, but it seems that you have gotten best of me." Then she let a small smile grace her lips. "At least...you made...this fun..."

Her body vanished completely. All that was left was a dust cloud of blue mana, but even those lights slowly went out. The mana-draining field around the school vanished. The sky was orange now.

[Whirlpool of Fate 2]

Lancer felt tired. That fight against Rider coupled with the bounded field drained him of almost all of his mana. He was close to running on fumes now. Well, he figured he should head inside of the building to make sure Akiko was fine even while being in the bounded field.

At least, he tried getting to the stairs. But as he rolled over on his belly to get up, he found that his arms were too weak to push his body weight up. And his legs were no better. He tried moving them, but it felt like stones weighed them down. Was Medusa's mystic eyes affecting him again? No. Even though the runes to resist them were almost totally faded away now, with Medusa gone, he shouldn't be feeling the effects of her eyes on his body now.

Lancer tried pushing up his body with all the strength he could muster, which wasn't very much now, but the same thing happened. All he could do was lift his body a couple centimeters off the concrete before his arms gave out and his chest hit the roof.

 _'Move...Move...dammit...'_ he tried telling his body. But it wouldn't obey his commands. He was feeling tired now that he thought about it. A quick nap wouldn't hurt...

[End OST]

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[Midnight Interval]

When Akiko slowly opened her eyes, she could see she was in a classroom. But it looked like she was seeing it through a red filter. Everything had a crimson glow to it. She turned her head to the doorway where she heard the sound of metal slicing into flesh. Archer was there, both swords materialized. In front of him was what looked like a purple snake with its head cut off. It collapsed into a purple pile of dust on the ground a moment later, but even the pile vanished.

"Ar...cher..." Akiko groaned. The man with the red mantle looked over his shoulder at her.

"Good. You're awake," was all he said.

"What...happened..?"

"The Servant Rider was sucking your blood for mana. But Rin replenished it. However, this bounded field probably drained most of it again."

Akiko was confused on why Rin would help her, who was technically still her enemy, but she had another concern on her mind right now. "Where's...Lancer..?"

"He's fighting Rider right now. Saber, Shirou, and Rin are looking for Shinji to make him have Rider take down the bounded field. But what really surprised me was his anger towards Rider for her harming you. You're lucky to have someone who cares about you that much."

"Lancer..." she murmured. Akiko tried to sense his condition right now. If she could feel his mana flaring, that means he's still fighting Rider. Since she's awake now, she and Archer could back him up.

[End OST]

Suddenly, the red light filling the room went away. And so did the snakes Archer was fighting back. The man looked around in bewilderment. "What happened?! Did Lancer beat Rider?! Or did the other three succeed in getting Shinji to force her to take it down?!"

If it was the former, then what happened to Lancer in his fight?! Since it was against a Servant, he's most likely wounded. But how badly? And if it was the latter, are the two Servants still fighting, did Rider kill Lancer?

No. He must still be alive. If he was dead, Akiko would have sensed the absence of the pact that bound the two of them together. Since that must be the case, what's his condition? Is he still fighting or is he idle?

Akiko tried to sense his condition. His mana was faint. There was something wrong with Lancer. _'Are you okay?'_

[Nightmare]

 _'I...fucked...up...'_

 _'What do you mean?!'_

 _'...'_

 _'Lancer?! LANCER?!'_

Archer looked at Akiko. "Is something wrong?"

"Lancer stopped responding!"

[End OST]

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Lancer was on his right side, a puddle of red forming around him. He smiled. Good. Akiko was awake. He didn't have to worry for her anymore. That's...good... Since that's no longer weighing on his mind, maybe he can rest now. Just for a few minutes...

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

 **Interlude**

[Tender Scenery]

The red light went away. The four, Saber, Shirou, Rin, and Shinji, looked around.

"Lancer must have killed her," Saber said. But Shinji wasn't happy about this. He got up and kicked a chair onto its side in anger.

"Damn that Rider! She's useless! Even with all that power, she still went down!"

Saber turned her head and glared at him. "Do not insult your own Servant for falling in battle!"

"She's _my_ Servant! I'll say what I want about her!"

Rin walked over to Saber, stopping the knight before she ran Shinji through. "Shut up and get lost, you cockroach! I don't even want to _see_ you anymore! And if anyone at the school died because of you and your Servant, simply put, never stop looking over your shoulder!"

"Grr! Don't think this is the last you'll hear from me!" And with that, Shinji scurried out of the room, tripping over himself the whole way.

"...You let him go for me, didn't you, Tohsaka? I said that I wouldn't kill any Master, and the same goes for me witnessing any be killed," Shirou said.

Rin blushed. "O-Of course not! A-Anyway, we should check to see how the students are doing now that the bounded field is down!"

[End OST]

 **Interlude out**

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Akiko ran out of the classroom and into the hallway, followed by Archer, when she saw Rin, Shirou, and Saber come down it.

"You're awake!" Rin exclaimed as soon as she saw Akiko. "Where are you off to?"

"To find Lancer!" she replied. "I'm tracking him right now! Archer said he's probably above us, since he heard a loud crash come from there!"

"Lancer? Won't he just come down here to the third floor?"

Akiko shook her head. "I don't think so. I felt something wrong with his mana."

"Probably from being in this field. Emiya, Saber, and I are going to check up on the students here."

"You'd better be okay, Sakura!" Shirou yelled as he ran into room 3-B.

"Shirou! Wait for me!" Saber shouted after her Master.

Rin sighed then glanced at her own Servant. "Archer, I'm going to need you to come with me into the classrooms we check."

"Why me? I don't know any healing spells."

"More than likely, we'll need to carry the students and teachers out of the classroom."

"So you're having me do heavy lifting? I think you may be taking the term "Servant" a bit literally..."

"Oh shut up and just help out."

Archer sighed. "Very well..."

Rin looked at Akiko. "I take it you'll look for Lancer on your own?"

"Of course I am. Do you have a problem with it?"

Rin shook her head. "No, I don't. Good luck."

"Thanks."

While Rin and Archer went into the classroom Shirou and Saber disappeared into, Akiko ran for the stairs to the fourth floor. She could feel that Lancer was above her. But even on the fourth floor, she still felt him above her. Was he on the roof then?

She felt a breeze and looked up. There was a gaping hole over her head. She could see the orange sky up above. It was evening now. The final bell would soon be going off. Well, the destruction confirmed it. The Servants fought up there.

[Footsteps of Destruction]

She went up the stairway to the roof and threw the door to it open. The first thing she saw was Lancer laying almost face-down in a puddle of blood.

"Cu Chulainn!" she screamed as she ran over to his still body. His eyes were closed. She went down on her knees. He was facing her. She shook his shoulder roughly, needing to see his eyes open. "Cu Chulainn?! Can you hear me?! Open your eyes!"

After a couple of seconds, though it felt like a couple of hours to Akiko, Lancer groaned and slightly opened his eyes. "I'm tired...I need to rest..."

Akiko instantly went into panic mode. Unless it was almost out of mana, a Servant doesn't feel tired! She instantly wrapped one of his arms around the back of her neck. She supported him on the side of her body while wrapping one of her arms around his waist, making sure not to irritate the gash that used to be stitched up. It probably wouldn't need new stitches now, the wound was mostly closed except for a new clean cut.

[End OST]

[Time Together]

And for a spirit, Lancer sure was HEAVY since he wasn't supporting some of his weight. Akiko was lifting all of it. "God, what are your pockets full of, bricks? No, that'd not possible since you don't have pockets!"

"Geez, first I'm injured an' now yer bashin' my weight?"

"I wouldn't be bashing it if you would support some of your own weight!" When she gets to the third floor, hopefully she can get Shirou to help her, since he was barely shorter than her. Hell, she'd even be willing to ask Archer for help, if only to relieve some of this burden on her!

[End OST]

* * *

 **[1]: Not at all in cannon, but I just thought to add it.**


	10. Day 8 III

**Okay, I'm actually going to include the mana transfer scene, but I'll say when it starts and stops so you can skip it if you want.**

 **And person who reviewed: Clearly you haven't played Fate/Extella or at least seen the second stage of the Flame Poem Arc or any other stage like it. If you did, you'd know that Blood Fort Andromeda halves the strength of all of Medusa's foes in it. And I gave her the same strength she has in Heaven's Feel. So of course she was kicking Lancer's ass.**

 **I can take flames, but they shouldn't be as rude as your's was! And if they are, expect to hear from me!**

* * *

Soon after Lancer's defeat of Rider, the three Masters and Servants left the school when people sent by the Church arrived to help the victims of Blood Fort Andromeda. Akiko, aided by Shirou and Rin, used temporary bandages on Lancer's wounds. Shirou did have to help Akiko support Lancer, but thankfully by the time the group left he was able to walk, assisted by Akiko.

"We should go back to your house, Emiya, to treat Lancer and discuss what we're going to do now," Kiko said.

"What about work?" Shirou asked. Since it was Monday, Akiko would need to go in.

"I'll skip again," Akiko replied. "I'm not going to leave Lancer alone with the way he is now."

Lancer glanced at his Master. "Yer not gonna leave me alone if ya go to work. Mr. Igarashi said I start today, an' I don't wanna make a bad first impression by missin' it."

Akiko shook her head. "Forget it. You're in no condition to do much of anything, much less work."

"C'mon, I'll be fine!"

"I said no!"

"I wanna take some of the work stress of ya to repay you fer lettin' me live with ya."

"You've repaid me and more by risking your life for me. I don't want to be forced into further debt with you."

"Don't worry! Just let me try out havin' a modern job! It might be fun!"

Akiko sighed. "If you think it'll be fun, get ready to be disappointed...Fine, you can go to work. But don't blame me if you're physically unable to do some things!"

Lancer flashed her a grin that said everything was going to be okay. "Don't worry! I'll manage!"

Akiko sighed again and Rin glanced at her. "Why not use a Command Seal on him to make him stay?"

"I really don't feel like wasting one. Besides, if my Servant is going to be stupid, let him get what's coming."

[Time Together]

"I _heard_ ya call me stupid!" Lancer shouted.

"Good, because I meant it."

"Nice Master," Archer whispered to Lancer.

"If I get yer sympathy, Archer, I'll puke!"

"If you do, I'll drop you," Akiko muttered. "I DO NOT want to have to clean vomit from myself!"

"And I wasn't offering sympathy," Archer added to Lancer.

"Good. 'Cause I don't want it!"

[End OST]

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At Shirou's house, Akiko bandaged up Lancer and he switched to his modern clothes. However, it was obvious to everyone that Lancer is low on mana just by looking at him. He looked to be struggling not to fall asleep.

"...It looks like I'll need to take him to a ley line," Akiko said after studying her Servant.

"What's a ley line?" Shirou asked. Rin and Akiko glanced and stared at him in disbelief.

[Time Together]

"OK, seriously, how can you be a mage and not know what a ley line is?!" Akiko demanded. Saber sighed.

"It seems that subject was also something Kiritsugu never taught him."

"What? Is it something I should already know?" Shirou asked. Now it was Rin's turn to sigh in disappointment.

"It's a basic thing that all mages should know about. In the earth, streams of mana flow. However, there are places where these intersect and are most concentrated. These are known as ley lines."

[End OST]

"And if a Servant camps out at one, they can recharge on mana," Saber added.

"So if Lancer goes to one, he'll be fine?" Shirou said. Akiko nodded.

"That's right. But absorbing the amount of mana he needs will take time. So I'll take him to the Mt. Enzou ley line."

"Why there?"

Rin took over. "That ley line is the strongest in Fuyuki. By using that one, Lancer will have a mana refill much quicker than at any of the other ones in this city."

Akiko sighed as she stood up. "We'll go to Ryuudou Temple tonight. Right now, Lancer and I need to get to work." She glanced at the spearman sitting down before her. "You sure you can handle going?"

Lancer stood up, wearing a large grin on his face. "Of course I am!"

Shirou also stood up. "I have to get to work too. Tohsaka. You, Archer, and Saber are in charge of watching the house while I'm gone."

"Actually, only Saber will be staying behind," Rin said as she stood up.

"Why?"

"I'll be looking into those murders, and I'll have Archer with me in case things get ugly."

"Why the murders?"

"I need to confirm something."

Akiko glanced at Rin. "Confirm what?" Then it dawned on her what Rin meant. "Oh, _that_! I didn't even think of it!"

Shirou was looking back and forth at Rin and Akiko. "Wait. What are both of you talking about?"

[Into the Night]

Rin looked at Shirou before explaining. "In preparation of the Fifth Holy Grail War, several mages were sent here to Fuyuki. During the Fourth, there was apparently some big battle on the Mion River that drew in several onlookers. To clean up the aftermath of that fiasco, members of the Mage's Association were sent here to Fuyuki to help the Church wipe the memory of that battle from any outsider. But it took them too long to get here and as a result, the memories of some witnesses weren't wiped. So mages were sent here before the War just in case an emergency like that happens in this one."

"So are you saying there's a connection between those mages and the murders?" Shirou asked.

"Maybe. The woman near the school who was attacked is one of those mages. So I need to check to see if the other victims were mages too. If they were, then it's a strong possibility the culprit is involved in the Holy Grail War in some way."

"And that's where there's a possibility of things getting ugly?" Archer asked.

"Right. If my fears turn out to be true, then the murderer could be near the crime scene, waiting for a mage to check it out."

"Let us know if you find anything when we're done with work," Akiko said. "Let's go, Lancer."

[End OST]

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[A Beautiful Melody]

As soon as Akiko walked into Ahnenerbe's, Kazuhiro found her and gave her an earful for skipping Friday. Then he made her change into her waitress outfit. She came out, but Lancer was still getting changed in the men's restroom. He had started changing when Akiko did. She started to get worried that Lancer, being clumsy since he was low on mana, had fallen and got himself hurt. But he came out before Akiko messaged him to check up on him. He was carrying his modern clothes to store them in the back room.

Akiko was internally jealous that the uniform Lancer was wearing didn't look like fanservice. He wore a white button-up shirt under a black vest and black pants. He walked up to Akiko, holding a blue tie. It was the same shade of blue as the man's vibrant hair. Kazuhiro must have given it to Lancer to draw more attention to the blue strands.

"I don't know how to put this on. Can ya help me?"

Susumu glanced at Lancer. "He doesn't know how to tie one? Has he only used clip-ons until now?"

Maiko giggled. "Don't pretend you're any better, Morikawa. You also had difficulty putting on ties during your first week working here." Maiko had been an employee a year longer than Susumu, so she had all kinds of embarrassing stories about when the creep first started.

Susumu blushed, but didn't say anything else as to not dig a deeper hole for himself. He instead looked away, pretending to count the money in the register. Akiko took the tie from Lancer and tied it on him. She had seen Susumu's enough to get a general idea of how it's done. She had the loop tucked under Lancer's folded-down collar. When she stepped back to signal that she was finished, Lancer walked into the back room to store his modern clothes. If he had simply made them vanish, the other three would become curious as to where he had put them if he had not forgotten them in the bathroom when he was changing or in his personal box in the back room.

Within a few minutes, a couple of customers came in. As time went on, more people had streamed in. After a couple hours, the place was packed. Akiko, Maiko, and Lancer were working as fast as they could to get everyone's order in a timely manner. Lancer had just written down yet another table's order. He turned around and started heading to the counter to tell Susumu what the order was...

Then his legs gave out and he landed on his face on the floor hard.

[End OST]

[Whirlpool of Fate 2]

Maiko looked over her shoulder sharply and Susumu looked up from the register at the sound of the thud. Akiko dropped her notepad and dashed to Lancer's side, ignoring the hushed whispers of the customers, who were all staring at the waiter who just went down.

"What the hell just happened to him?!" someone, a customer, shouted.

"Is he OK?!" another person, sounding like a woman, gasped.

"Does he look OK to you?! He just collapsed to the fucking floor!" someone snapped at her.

"Watch your language! There are _children_ here!" That was most likely a mother who shouted. And she probably had both of her hands clamped over her child's ears.

"Make me!"

Maiko regained her composure. "Everyone, shut up! We've got this handled, so go back to eating!" That silenced everyone at the table. There were a few more concerned murmurs before all of the customers went back to eating their food.

Susumu was still staring at a collapsed Lancer, and at Akiko, who was trying to get him to stand back up. "We'd better let Mr. Igarashi know about this.

But the door to his office swung open hard and Kazuhiro came out just enough to stand by the outward edge of the opened door. "What's going on?! I heard a crash and then I heard the customers in an uproar before Eguchi told them to shut up!"

"Lancer just went down!" Akiko exclaimed, looking at Kazuhiro with panic in her eyes. Lancer's face was covered in sweat and he was panting hard. His red eyes were squeezed shut. He didn't move, just stayed down. The only noise he was making besides the panting were faint groans and whines.

"Is he sick?!" Kazuhiro demanded. Akiko decided she would play along with that assumption. After all, Lancer did look like he was running a fever. A strong one. The cheeks and forehead of the demigod were tinged red with heat as his internal temperature rose. "Send him home! I don't want someone suing me because he got them sick!"

"He's too weak to walk. I know where he lives. I'll take him home," Akiko said. She deliberately didn't tell her boss or the other two that she and Lancer were living together. If she did, she would be teased endlessly by Maiko and Susumu that she was dating Lancer.

"Fine, but after you do, come right back! Morikawa!"

"Yes sir!" Susumu suddenly exclaimed. He had started to space out and at first, he thought Kazuhiro got his attention to keep him from falling asleep on the job. Again. For the hundredth time.

"You're going to help Hashomoto change Lancer into his street clothes!"

"What?!" both exclaimed.

"Morikawa, because he's male like Lancer, and Hashomoto, because she's dating him and has most likely already seen him naked," Kazuhiro explained. One female customer hurriedly finished eating, and, since she had already paid the bill when she ordered, was free to speed walk out of the cafe, gently pushing her child with her. The little girl didn't need to know more about those kinds of details yet. Everyone else just pretended to ignore what the manager was saying and focused only on their food.

"Not you too!" Akiko exclaimed to Kazuhiro.

"Enough complaining! Just hurry up so you can get him out quickly!"

"Who's going to take over for me while I'm helping Hashomoto and Lancer?" Susumu asked.

"I will," Kazuhiro replied. "Now hurry it up!"

"Can I at least borrow a jacket to hide my uniform in town?" Akiko asked.

"Sure, fine, whatever!"

Akiko rushed to the back room while Susumu checked the men's bathroom to see if there was a free stall. The mage grabbed Lancer's modern clothes and took down a jacket on a hanger with a bunch of other jackets and coats. Then she came out again, holding the clothes and the jacket in one arm. Then she and Susumu each took one of Lancer's arms and wrapped it around the back of their necks. They half-carried, half-dragged the man into the bathroom. Then they took him to the free stall that Susumu had found.

They sat him atop of the toilet's closed lid and Akiko released the man. Susumu mostly did as well, but still held Lancer's slumped shoulders to keep him from falling. Akiko got some paper towels from the dispenser and hurried back to Lancer. She ran it over his forehead, the paper towel soaking up the beads of sweat dripping down the Servant's face. Akiko could feel the heat it. Lancer was burning up. Once she was done drying Lancer's face the best she could, she set the used paper towel down and began on Lancer's clothes.

The layer of sweat on his skin made his clothes cling to his body, so it was harder for Susumu and Akiko to take off his shirt and pants. Especially the pants. Susumu had to stand Lancer up, holding the man up with both hands while Akiko removed his pants, leaving him in his white boxers. Then she got his black pants on. It was harder to do that. The sweat would make the fabric stick to his legs and cause them to bunch up as his Master tried to pull them all the way up his thighs. She ended up having to pinch the stuck fabric, tugging it to free it momentarily. Then it got stuck again in less than a second and she had to pause again to pull it free.

When she finally got the pants on, Susumu sat Lancer back down on the toilet, still balancing him as Akiko next worked on Lancer's shirt. She removed the vest and tie and began undoing the buttons on the white fabric still covering his torso.

Susumu, who kept his eyes on Lancer to make sure the man didn't fall to the ground on him, didn't switch his gaze to Akiko as he spoke to her. "If he's this sick, why did he come in to work?"

"He didn't want to miss his first day," was Akiko's response. "And he wasn't showing any symptoms until just a few minutes ago."

"That was pretty stupid of him."

Akiko got Lancer's work shirt off and was now replacing it with his white t-shirt. "More like totally reckless."

When they were done, Akiko put on the jacket, zipped it up, and was carrying Lancer, with one of his arms slung around her neck. Susumu went back to the register while the mage left with Lancer. The man didn't regain consciousness. Akiko also noted that while walking through town, the jacket she wore was hiding the top half of her uniform, and no one paid attention to the skirt peeking out from the bottom.

As soon as Akiko yanked the front door open and got herself and Lancer inside, the kitchen door opened and Saber came out. At first, she looked hostile. Then she saw it was Akiko and Lancer and her hostility changed to concern.

"I thought you were someone breaking in!"

"Couldn't the bounded field have told you that it was only us?!"

"Oh, right. I guess I was not paying attention," Saber replied and Akiko let out a heavy sigh.

"Nevermind. Given the time, Emiya shouldn't be back. But are Tohsaka and Archer?"

"No, why?"

"Because I would've liked Archer's help carrying Lancer."

Saber's concerned stare had never left the spearman. "What happened to him?" Then she glanced at Akiko. As the teen had not taken the jacket she was wearing off, most of her uniform was still hidden. But Saber had caught eyes on the skirt. "And what are you wearing?"

Akiko began speed walking down the hall to her room. Saber was next to Akiko, keeping pace with her. "Work uniform. And Lancer's now too low on mana to even stay awake."

She opened the door to her room when she got to it and went in. Then she layed Lancer down on the futon. Lancer was still panting and sweating. His eyes were still closed and his face was scrunched like he was in agony. And his forehead and cheeks still had a red tinge to them as he ran a high temperature. All in all, he looked just like someone who had to stay in bed, sick. Akiko bit her lower lip. She had to go back to work, but...

"I need to go back to work, but I can't just leave Lancer," Akiko said. "Maybe I should just skip..."

"No, don't," Saber told her. "I'll watch him so that you don't get in trouble with your boss."

Akiko was about to question Saber if this was a trick so that she could kill Lancer, and thus eliminate a future enemy. But she stopped herself as she remembered. Saber is noble. The very image of a true knight. So this Servant wouldn't stoop to something as underhanded as killing someone when he couldn't even defend himself. So then it should be fine if the mage leaves Lancer in Saber's care while she was at work.

So leaving Lancer with Saber, she hurried back to work. During the rest of the shift, Maiko and Susumu were silent to her, other than asking her how Lancer was doing now. And once she had finished cleaning for the end of the work day, she quickly changed back into her street clothes and hurried back too Shirou's house to check in with her Servant.

When she entered her room, she saw that Rin and Archer were already back. And shortly after Akiko came into her room, Shirou came into the house. He hung up his coat and walked to Akiko and Lancer's room, as that was the only place with the lights on. He peeked into the room. The first thing he saw was everyone else in it, but not Lancer yet, which would've answered his question.

"Why's everyone in here?" Then his eyes fell on Lancer. The man was awake now. He had a damp cloth on his forehead. But he was still breathing heavily. "What happened to him?!"

"He collapsed at work and I brought him here," Akiko answered. "I had a feeling that his level of mana would bite him in the ass somehow."

"He's very weak. He may not last more than an hour, and it takes us more than that amount of time for us to get to Ryuudou Temple," Saber said.

"So he's going to die?!" Shirou demanded. Akiko was still looking down at Lancer.

"You're a good man, so you deserve to have some joy," she whispered to him. Then she spoke loud enough for the others to hear her. "I'll do a mana transfer on him."

"A what?" Shirou asked, but the two girls ignored him. Rin was looking at Akiko.

"Why don't you just use a Command Seal to give him mana?" she asked.

Akiko blushed. "I-I might need to use all three later, so just in case I won't use one right now." That was a lie. In truth, she wants to have sex so badly with Lancer that it hurts. She would need to remember to squeeze out as much mana as she can for him, so the pleasure wouldn't make her forget. "I'll do it right away."

Rin looked back at Shirou. "Do you have any sexual lubricant?!"

Shirou looked at her with startled wide eyes. "Wait, what?!"

"Are you deaf?! I asked if you have any sexual lubricant!"

"Why?!"

Rin grit her teeth in frustration that this idiot was wasting time with his questions. "Ask questions later! Well?! Do you have any?!"

"Y-Yeah!" Shirou ran into the hall to his own room. He still wondered why Rin needed some, but he felt like she was too angry to answer. In fact, if he did ask, he would probably have something hard thrown at him or worse, a Gandr shot to his face. He rushed into his own room and opened a drawer full of clothes. He dug to the bottom of it, grabbing a bottle of lube. He ran back to the room everyone was in.

"Here's some lube!" Shirou shouted. He threw a bottle to Rin. She caught it in her left hand. Then immediately after, she gave it to Akiko.

"Thanks!" she said back. But she didn't really think about _why_ Shirou would have some. Then she did. She glanced at Shirou. "Wait. Why do you have this? You're not having sex yet, are you?"

Shirou blushed as his mind when to the pile of porn he had hidden away. He would often masturbate to them. And he used lube, just in case he was actually going to get laid. Then he would be ready. "Umm, no reason! Anyway, just use it!"

Akiko decided not to press the question and to just get started on saving her Servant. Lancer could also get mana by doing what Rider did, sucking a mage's blood. The problem with sucking blood was that the person's mana was spread out evenly. And with how low Akiko is on hers, Lancer would need to drink so much that it could kill her.

Lancer figured out that doing this with him is what she wants, 'not wanting to use up' her Command Seals is an excuse. But he didn't say anything, in case that would make Akiko change her mind. However, with her being this low on mana, he wasn't sure it was a good idea for her to go through with this.

Akiko never would have thought that she would lose her virginity to her Servant. She looked back at the others before she began. They were still gawking at her and Lancer.

"Can I please have some privacy?"

Shirou cocked his head. "Privacy for what?"

Rin sighed and grabbed his left arm. "I'll explain to you later. For now, let's leave these two alone." She led Shirou out of the room. Saber and Archer followed the two humans, closing the door behind them. This left Akiko and Lancer as the only ones still in it. Akiko's hands had gone to the top of her pants before the room's door slid open slightly, enough for Rin to pop her head in.

Akiko was pissed. She huffed angrily and glanced over her shoulder at Rin. "What now?"

Rin didn't seem bothered by Akiko's hostility. "After this, come to the kitchen and I'll tell everyone what I found out about the murders."

"Fine, whatever! Now please leave the room so I can begin!"

Rin got the hint that Akiko was ready to beat her up. Her head went back and the door shut.

[End OST]

 **Start lemon**

[Pursuing Minds]

"Akiko," Lancer said, though it was like a whisper. "Don't do this. You don't need to waste the little mana ya have left."

Akiko kept getting her pants off even though she heard him. "I love you, so I won't let you die." She got her pants off and threw them to one corner of the room. Her pussy was soaked with want. It was dripping so much that at first, she didn't think she would need the lube at all. But better to be safe than sorry. Since this was her first time, it would already hurt a lot. But if she isn't wet enough for Lancer's cock, it would hurt even worse.

So she got some lube on her fingers and began rubbing it inside her. Touching herself felt good, but how much better would she feel when Lancer's inside of her?

When she removed his pants, she saw he was already erect. Was he also looking forward to this? But the size of it made her hesitate for a second. It was bigger than she thought it was going to be. Would it even fit in her? She bit her lower lip. For this mana transfer, it would have to.

She slowly lowered herself on him. Before long, she ran into resistance. She knew it was her hymen. And she also knew that tearing it would hurt. She bit her lower lip as she decided to get it over with, almost dropping down with her entire body weight to break through it. It hurt. A lot. But a sense of satisfaction went through her head.

 _'Cu Chulainn's...inside of me.'_

The pain was soon replaced by pleasure. Pleasure at the thought that _Lancer_ is filling her up. Once she got adjusted, she began moving her hips, sliding herself up and down him. She went slowly at first. Then she began increasing the speed.

Lancer moaned, but in pleasure instead of pain this time. But before losing himself to this, he remembered that Akiko was giving her most of her remaining mana. He looked at her. "Ya really sure about this?"

Akiko bent her head down and captured Lancer's lips in her own. "Of course I am. You're worth it to me."

Lancer weakly raised up his left arm and began caressing the right side of Akiko's face. then his hand moved to the back of her head. At the same time, he nibbled on her lower lip, asking permission to go deeper with this kiss. Akiko granted him access by opening her mouth. She felt Lancer's tongue enter it. Soon, her tongue joined in with dancing around his.

His other hand closed around her still-clothed breast, squeezing it lightly and making Akiko moan into his mouth. She placed both hands on either side of the bottom of his neck, careful not to press too hard with one where a wound of his was. She started out rubbing it, then lightly slid her hands down over his shoulders and down his arms. Her feather-light touch made him shiver.

While moving herself up and down on him, she found a spot in her. Whenever he hit it, it sent a wave of pleasure through her. So she had him keep pounding into her, hitting that spot each time. Before long, the pleasure was building inside of the teen. It felt like it kept welling up, so much that she was going to burst. Then it felt like a dam inside her broke.

"Ah! Cu Chulainn!" she cried out as she came, her juices soaking his member. Soon, Lancer grit his teeth. His hands went to her arms, gripping so tightly that bruises on her would probably show in the morning. He came, not super hard, but enough for Akiko to feel the pleasure of his warm seed hitting deep in her.

The two were panting hard for a few moments. Akiko's face was covered in sweat, making some strands of her hair cling to it. Then she slowly pulled herself off him and hit the ground right at his left side.

[End OST]

 **End lemon**

"So...how are you...doing on...mana...Cu Chulainn..?" Akiko asked him in between pants.

"Well, definitely not enough fer me to go out fightin', but enough fer me to make it fer another day or two," he replied.

Akiko yawned. "We should hear what Tohsaka discovered at the murder sights but...I'm really tired now."

Lancer pulled the covers of the futon up and over the two of them. "Me too...Well, we can hear it tomorrow."

"Yeah. Well, good night."

"'Night."

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

 **Interlude**

The other four were at the table in the kitchen. They had just eaten dinner. Now they were waiting for Akiko. Lancer would probably be too weak to come in, given the little mana Akiko would have been able to give him. But now it was over an hour later since those two would have begun the mana transfer.

"Did they blow us off?" Rin asked.

"Maybe you should check up on them," Archer suggested.

Rin stood up and went down the hall to the room of the Master and Servant. She slid the door open wide enough to stick head in. She saw Lancer's chest was pressed to Akiko's back. He had one arm wrapped over Akiko's shoulder. The two were asleep, breathing evenly. Rin retracted her head and closed the door. She walked back to the kitchen. "Those two are asleep together. We'll go to Ryuudou Temple tomorrow."

"But you haven't said what you and Archer found," Shirou pointed out.

"I was hoping Akiko would be up, but whatever. Yes, all the victims were the mages sent. But we found something else too."

"What was it?"

"I'll say tomorrow."

"What?!"

"Akiko needs to know about this as well."

 **Interlude out**

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

 **Interlude**

"Dammit, dammit, dammit!" Shinji spat as he went down the sidewalk, running to the Church. It was night, only the glow from the street lamps lighting the way. A coyote's howl from the distance could be heard.

What a useless Servant Rider was! She died to Hashomoto's Servant! It wasn't his fault! Her Servant was just better is all! He could just see them now, plus Emiya, Tohsaka, and their two Servants. Smirking, making fun of the Master whose Servant was just killed! All of that made Shinji want to _scream!_ He was going to see if the Church's priest, Kirei Kotomine, could do anything. Like protect Shinji for the rest of the War as he should for any Master who's lost their Servant.

[All the Evil of the World]

"Huh? What's going on?" Shinji stopped to look at his surroundings. It was way too quiet. Even though it was night, he should still be passed by cars. But it was suddenly like he was the only person out here. It was as if a bounded field was put up around him.

"_!"

That was definitely not a coyote. "Huh?! Was that Berserker?!" Shinji exclaimed. His head darted from side to side, seeing where the roar came from. He had run into this War's Berserker before. But again, Rider got her ass beat and the two barely managed to get away alive.

"_!"

There was the roar again. However, even though it sounded similar to Berserker's roar, it had a slightly different pitch, a tad higher but not much. Whatever it was, Shinji had not encountered the creature before to know what it was.

"_!"

The roar sounded closer now. Whatever it belonged to was coming for Shinji! Its footsteps made the ground tremble. And Shinji didn't have a Servant to defend himself with this time!

"_!"

It sounded near Shinji, almost right next to him.

"What?!" He spun around to face the bushes in panic, where he was hearing the roar. The last thing he saw was something massive crashing through the bushes, out onto the sidewalk next to Shinji. Was that magenta on it? Its head dipped down and in two bites, devoured Shinji.

[End OST]

 **Interlude out**

* * *

 **Sorry for the lemon being so bland in this. I put more effort into the one in chapter 13.**


	11. Day 8 IV

**Though one legend says Cu Chulainn was 17 at the time, there are different versions of the legend so who's to say if this is true? So in this, I have Cu Chulainn be in his early 20s, about 21 or 22.**

* * *

[Sorrow]

 _Cu Chulainn liked to think he didn't have any regrets._

 _But he does have one._

 _His battle with Ferdiad._

 _He doesn't regret the battle itself._

 _But he does regret having used Gae Bolg on him._

 _It was a time known today as the 1st century. At that time, Ireland was split into five countries. During what would be called the Tain Bo Cuailnge, a battle was going on between two friends._

 _The fighting between the two had been going on for three days. It was the third day now, a little after noon. The two fighters, Cu Chulainn and Ferdiad, had been taught together by Scathach. Even though the two came from rivaling armies in Ireland, Cu Chulainn from Ulster and Ferdiad from Connacht, the two shared a bond, one forged back then. It was strong. They began to see each other as more than close friends. They saw each other as brothers. Though they were the same age, Ferdiad was a few months older than Cu Chulainn. So he saw the Ulster warrior as a younger brother and Cu Chulainn saw Ferdiad as an older one._

 _So why were they fighting, and to the death at that now? Queen Medb of Connacht invaded Ulster to steal a bull. Yup, this was for a stupid, fucking bull. Anyway, Cu Chulainn had been able to fend off her army. Then Ferdiad was sent to challenge the warrior next. Ferdiad refused to back down from this fight. Though he was reluctant at the thought of fighting his friend, in the end he placed his honor on a higher priority than his friendship with Cu Chulainn. And Cu Chulainn couldn't back down either. If he did, Medb would win. After all, because of its curse, no other warrior in Ulster would be able to fight while being invaded._

 _The horny skin of Ferdiad was said to be impenetrable, a perfect defense. So during this fight, though Ferdiad's battle uniform had cut and tears in it like Cu Chulainn's, it lacked the stains of blood like those on the uniform of the blue-haired warrior's. Cu Chulainn had attacked Ferdiad with every sword or spear he had, but none were able to even scratch the fighter from Connacht._

 _Well, that was a lie. There was one spear he hadn't used on Ferdiad yet. It was the cursed spear he got from Scathach, Gae Bolg. But he wouldn't use it on Ferdiad. He wouldn't subjugate his friend to the agony of the crimson spear's curse. Besides, Cu Chulainn still had a normal, ordinary spear left in his right hand._

 _The younger warrior slowly lifted the spear, tip pointed at Ferdiad's chest. "I'll ask ya again ta back down, Ferdiad," he said._

 _Ferdiad shook his head. "An' I'll answer the same; I can't. It would ruin my honor."_

 _"Yer a stubborn bastard 'bout this. I don't wanna kill ya."_

 _"We've both fought an' taken countless lives before. Ya should be used ta this sorta thing."_

 _"But this is different! Yer my best friend!"_

 _"Ya should've cut that tie with me years ago. After all, we're from opposin' armies."_

 _"Fuck that! It's still no reason ta just abandon the bond we have!"_

 _"Like me, I'm sure ya have other friends at home. One of 'em can replace me as yer closest friend."_

 _"Like hell they can jus' take yer place! Yer the one who trained with me at the Land of Shadows, not them!"_

 _Ferdiad raised his sword, pointing the end of the blade at Cu Chulainn. "An' ya call me the stubborn one in this fight. I'm pretty sure the most stubborn one here is you."_

 _"What?!"_

 _"Ya say ya can't jus' abandon the bond we had back then. So yer sayin' yer not willin' ta fight me."_

 _Cu Chulainn lowered his spear down by his side. "That's right; I'm not."_

 _"Well, if ya don't wanna finish this fight, then I will!" Ferdiad's foot pushed off the ground, his body being propelled forward to Cu Chulainn. At the same time, Ferdiad swung his sword sideways. It went for the left side of Cu Chulainn's neck._

 _Cu Chulainn quickly lifted up his spear again and gripped the shaft with both hands. He held it out to the left side of his neck, blocking the sword strike with the blade against the steel shaft of the spear in between his hands. Cu Chulainn grit his teeth as sparks flew out in a shower from the edge of the blade as it ground against the obstacle in its path. Ferdiad was pushing his sword against the defense. Cu Chulainn's arms trembled as they worked to keep the sword from reaching its owner's neck._

 _While never letting up the strength to resist the pushing, Cu Chulainn kicked out with his right legs. His kick was aimed low. It was aimed for Ferdiad's left shin. Ferdiad jumped straight up, just high enough for the kicking foot to hit empty air under his feet. But doing this caused the man to let up the pressure he was putting on the metal spear. Cu Chulainn didn't waste any time, jumping back about 5 meters from Ferdiad. He kept holding the spear in both hands. It was in a stabbing position at Cu Chulainn's midsection, ready to attack or defend._

 _Ferdiad went at Cu Chulainn again, swinging his sword sideways at the Ulster warrior's chest. But Cu Chulainn didn't try to block this time. Instead he jumped high up, going over Ferdiad's head and landing behind the man. But as soon as Cu Chulainn looked behind him to see Ferdiad, Ferdiad was coming at Cu Chulainn again with a downward swing at the slightly younger man's left shoulder. Cu Chulainn reacted in time to hold his spear over his head horizontally. Sparks rained down as the edge of the blade of Ferdiad's sword clashed with the spear's shaft._

 _In that same instant, Ferdiad launched a kick at Cu Chulainn's now-exposed ribs. But the battlefield had honed Cu Chulainn's own instincts. So when Ferdiad brought his right legs up for the beginning of the kick, Cu Chulainn launched a kick of his own. It was aimed at Ferdiad's right foot, which was now coming out at the blue-haired man. The two kicks met each other, both feet colliding. The power in each leg forced the two men apart. They skidded back several meters away from each other._

 _As the two men lowered their weapons slightly, Ferdiad looked at Cu Chulainn. He frowned in disappointment. During the first day the two fought, Cu Chulainn's killing intent was a tad on the low side. But it was higher than Ferdiad expected. But then again, Cu Chulainn probably thought his next challenger was going to be yet another person from Connacht that he didn't know nor cared to know. But he didn't anticipate having to fight Ferdiad. The spearman was confused at first, and the reality of fighting Ferdiad hadn't sunk in yet. And thus his killing intent, while fluctuating because of his confusion, was still high._

 _But on the second day, the reality of this situation had finally begun to sink into Cu Chulainn's mind, so his killing intent dropped so much, it was as if it wasn't even there._

 _And now, today, there wasn't any trace of it. Now despair replaced it inside Cu Chulainn. And worse yet, the man seems to have also lost his will to fight. He refused to battle Ferdiad. Well, that won't do. Cu Chulainn needs to keep having the mindset of fighting for his life. Whether or not he's battling a friend._

 _"Yer too soft, Setanta!" Ferdiad shouted._

 _"I'm what?!" Cu Chulainn growled, baring his teeth._

 _"Ya don't show mercy ta those ya see as yer enemies, but ya hesitate ta fight those ya recognize as yer comrades!"_

 _Before Cu Chulainn could snap back with something else, Ferdiad was in front of him again. The man was gripping the handle of his sword with both hands as he stabbed it forward at Cu Chulainn's chest. Cu Chulainn slid to his left slightly and smacked her spear against the blade. The blade scraped against the spear's shaft as it went by. The two men rammed their shoulders into each other, both trying to knock the other off-balance. If Cu Chulainn succeeded, he could jump back away from Ferdiad again. And if Ferdiad won out in this contest of strength, staggering Cu Chulainn would make the man lower his defense for an instant. And that's all the time Ferdiad would need to run the demigod through the heart._

 _However, neither of those things happened. Cu Chulainn's left shoulder and Ferdiad's right collided with each other._

 _"If ya don't try ta kill me, then I'll kill ya!" Ferdiad snarled into Cu Chulainn's ear. The two jumped back, pulling their weapons away from each other. Both men held their weapons in a striking position. "If ya really can't fight me, then fine! At least stand still so I can put ya down fast!"_

 _"I'm not about ta just let my life end without fightin' against it!"_

 _"I thought so! If ya had just accepted yer end, we could've finished this on the first day! Is it yer plan ta tire me out so we call this a draw?!"_

 _"That would be a good outcome!"_

 _"It's a risky gamble, though. Because if ya succumb ta fatigue first, yer life is over!"_

 _That was true. Fatigue was catching up to Cu Chulainn. He was panting a sweating hard. And his muscles ached from using them for a long period. But it was clear that Ferdiad was also getting exhausted. If it was Cu Chulainn's plan to keep going on the defense, then he just had to hold out longer than Ferdiad._ _But he was playing defense now because none of his strikes were wounding Ferdiad._

 _Then Ferdiad came at Cu Chulainn, striking again. And again, Cu Chulainn blocked. Ferdiad then was rapidly striking at Cu Chulainn, but the man managed to block them all. As this was going on, memories of the time the two spent together in the Land of Shadows flooded into Cu Chulainn's mind._

[End OST]

[Ever Present Feeling]

 _The times they shared food, because one of the boys pissed Scathach off and thus was told he would go to bed hungry. The other boy would take pity on their friend and share his dinner with him, out of sight from Scathach._

 _During sparring against Scathach, she would easily beat the boy she was sparring against down. And she would actually try to wound the boys. She couldn't land a single scratch on Ferdiad, just tired him out. But she made plenty of wounds on Cu Chulainn. So after the sparring against Cu Chulainn, Scathach would tell him to tend to his wounds before they got infected. However, Ferdiad would treat and bandage Cu Chulainn's wounds himself._

 _When both found out that Cu Chulainn would be the one to receive Gae Bolg, Ferdiad wasn't jealous at all. In fact, he congratulated Cu Chulainn for getting the spear._

 _When they were hunting together, sometimes the animal one boy was going for would gain the upper hand in the struggle. Whenever that happened, the other boy would always rescue their friend from the corner they had been backed into._

 _They had always looked out for each other back then. Why should now be any different?!_

[End OST]

[Sorrow]

 _"Ferdiad!" Cu Chulainn shouted. That single word held the torrent of emotions he was feeling right now. His pain. His anguish. His despair. His rage about this situation made him lash out with his spear. The action was unconscious. The tip ended up hitting Ferdiad's left bicep._

 _Ferdiad let the blow hit, knowing it wouldn't put even a scratch on him. "So, Setanta, have ya decided ta fight?"_

 _"Fuck this!" Cu Chulainn pulled his spear back._

 _"That softness of yers will result in yer own death. Throw it away now!" Ferdiad's sword was swung at Cu Chulainn's chest. The blue-haired man tried to block it, but the blade smacked the spear from his hands. The blade continued its attack as if the defense had not been there to slow it down or stop it. The metal sliced into Cu Chulainn's flesh, drawing out a shower of crimson liquid._

 _Cu Chulainn fell back and then tried to scamper back from Ferdiad, but the man didn't even hesitate as he stabbed his sword down. The blade went all the way through Cu Chulainn's left thigh before the tip of the weapon buried itself in the ground. Cu Chulainn was now pinned there. "Yer only choice is ta use Gae Bolg against me."_

 _Gae Bolg probably could indeed pierce Ferdiad's skin and kill him. But he didn't want his friend to suffer through the pain of the curse._

 _"I won't!"_

 _"Then ya'll die here," Ferdiad said simply. He raised his right foot and stomped it down on Cu Chulainn's chest. Cu Chulainn swore he could_ hear _his ribs straining not to break as Ferdiad kept pressing down with his foot._

 _"Urgh..! Get...off...me..!" Cu Chulainn ground out. He grabbed Ferdiad's leg with both hands and strained to throw him off. With his strength as a demigod, he was able to do that. Ferdiad was thrown onto his side about a meter to the spearman's right. Ferdiad had still been clutching the handle of his sword, so the weapon was ripped out of Cu Chulainn's thigh when Ferdiad was thrown._

 _Cu Chulainn sat up, panting from the strain he had to put into his muscles. "I'm gettin' tired. Looks like holdin' out isn't an option anymore."_

 _"So yer gonna fight me now? If not, I'll kill ya."_

 _It looks like that's Cu Chulainn's only choice now. He couldn't die yet. Not as long as he has things to take care of. But he only had one weapon left. Gae Bolg. "...Do ya really want yer life ta be ended by Gae Bolg?"_

 _Ferdiad grinned. "'Course I do! It won't be fun endin' yer life unless ya go all-out against me!"_

 _Cu Chulainn shut his eyes and took a deep breath. When he let it out, he opened his eyes. "Laeg! Send me Gae Bolg!"_

 _Laeg, Cu Chulainn's charioteer, had been ordered to wait up the stream from the fighting. He was also ordered to send Gae Bolg down to Cu Chulainn when the man requested it. As Laeg got the crimson spear from the chariot, he stopped to wonder what was going through his lord's head right now. After all, he was fighting his best friend. So Cu Chulainn must be feeling crushed. And he was resorting to using Gae Bolg now? Cu Chulainn must be pushed into a corner where he believed that spear is his only chance to escape death._

 _Laeg set the spear down near the shore of the stream. Since the spear was made from the bone of a sea monster, it was able to float in water. He got ready to push it toward the center of the stream, where the current would take it to Cu Chulainn._

 _"I won't let ya!"_

 _Someone jumped Laeg from behind and forced the brown-haired young man's face to the ground._

 _"Wha..?!"_

 _The attacker was none other than Ferdiad's own charioteer. He had been stationed further up the stream from Laeg. But knowing that Cu Chulainn possessed Gae Bolg, he went down to where Laeg was. He hid in the bushes and was spying on him._

 _The charioteer reached for the spear, going to pluck it from the water. But Laeg grabbed the wrist of the blonde._

 _"Not so fast!"_

 _With his unused arm, his left one, he elbowed the other man in the chest, making him loosen his headlock on Laeg. Laeg forced himself up onto his knees. At the same time, he threw his head back. The skull hit the charioteer in the nose and made him stagger back._

 _Down at the battlefield, Ferdiad had gotten up and was walking over to Cu Chulainn, sword raised._

 _"Laeg! What's takin' ya so long?!" Cu Chulainn demanded._

 _"Sorry 'bout that, my lord!" Before the other charioteer could recover, Laeg lightly pushed Gae Bolg so the current would take it. "Here comes Gae Bolg!"_

 _"Damn you!" the other charioteer roared when he recovered. He jumped onto Laeg again and the two got into a scuffle that involved fists and kicking._

 _Cu Chulainn quickly glanced at the stream, watching for Gae Bolg._

 _"Do not take yer eyes off yer opponent fer even a second!"_

 _Cu Chulainn quickly snapped his head back to Ferdiad. One of his hands shot up, fingers wrapping around the blade that went for his heart. He had managed to push the blade when he grabbed it, forcing it to go into his chest slightly to the right of his heart._

'He...He almost killed me just now..!'

 _This is what told Cu Chulainn that Ferdiad was serious; he was actually going to try to kill his best friend! Out of the corner of his eye, Cu Chulainn saw Gae Bolg coming down the stream behind him. Knowing there was only one way he was going to escape death, he lifted his right foot and planted it on Ferdiad's chest. Then he pushed out, making Ferdiad take several steps back. The man also took the sword with him. It left Cu Chulainn's chest, leaving the man free to turn around and run to the stream, grabbing Gae Bolg out of the water. Then he turned back around, facing Ferdiad._

 _"This is the end!" He held Gae Bolg's shaft with both hands, turning his body slightly to his right with the tip of the spear pointing to the ground. Red energy erupted from it._

 _"Finally..." Ferdiad whispered. With Cu Chulainn holding the crimson spear, his own killing intent had returned._

[End OST]

[Ever Present Feeling]

 _"Gae..." Once he finished saying the name, the life of his best friend, his brother, would end. But for Cu Chulainn, he couldn't stop this from happening now. After all, he would be killed if he didn't kill Ferdiad. "Bolg!"_

 _It felt to Ferdiad like something was in his chest as soon as the name was called. He looked down, but nothing was there. What was he feeling then? But less than a second later, he got his answer. A red line of energy went through his chest. Then he saw Gae Bolg buried in it, the entire tip going out his back._

 _Ferdiad's skin was like stone. It was impenetrable. But even the most flawless-looking stone has a crack too small for the eye to see. Gae Bolg finds this crack, forces it further open, and pierces the heart._

 _Ferdiad's legs gave out and he fell back, hitting the ground on his left side. He was coughing up blood as Cu Chulainn came over. Ferdiad's eyes flickered up to his friend and his bloody lips curled up into a smile._

 _"So...ya managed...ta do it...after all..."_

 _Cu Chulainn crouched onto one knee next to Ferdiad. "Ferdiad...Even though I did this, my feelin's 'bout ya haven't changed. I still think of ya as my best friend an' ya always will be."_

 _Ferdiad gave a hoarse chuckle. "Ya haven't...changed...have ya...Setanta..?"_

 _"Ya may use it ta call me soft, I don't care."_

 _"No...It's good...ta think of others...that way...But don't...let...it distract ya...from what ya...need...to...do...I'll admit...my feelin's...'bout ya...were plaugin' me...durin' our fight...too...But I didn't...let them...take...my...will ta...fight..." Ferdiad closed his eyes, still smiling softly. "Good...bye...my...bro...ther..."_

 _When Ferdiad's breathing stopped, Cu Chulainn pulled out the bloodied spear in silence. Up the stream, Ferdiad's charioteer fled to report Ferdiad's death to Medb. Laeg slowly walked through the ankle-deep water of the stream and to Cu Chulainn. The man was still staring down at Ferdiad's body in silence._

 _"My lord..?" Laeg whispered tentatively, afraid Cu Chulainn would become blind with anger and strike out at his charioteer. But the warrior didn't move a muscle and Laeg wondered for a moment if Cu Chulainn even heard him. "We-We need ta tend ta yer wounds before yer next fight..."_

 _Cu Chulainn didn't look up. "Oh..." He had barely even noticed the blood oozing from his wounds. This was proof of his reluctance to fight._ _"Maybe Ferdiad's right. Maybe I am too soft." That could be so. He had been trained by Scathach to use Gae Bolg in order to kill her. She walked the line between mortal and god. Once she became the latter, she would be immortal. She believed that if that happened, only a spear from a bone of the sea monster Coinchenn would be able to kill her. That spear became known as Gae Bolg. But Cu Chulainn hesitated at the thought of killing the woman who had trained him. And so he didn't go through with the task._

[End OST]

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[The End of Reminiscence]

Akiko slowly opened her eyes as the dream ended. The room itself was dark now. "That dream...it was Cu Chulainn's memory...wasn't it?"

"Hmm..? Ya say my name..?"

Akiko could feel the man behind her shift. She looked back at him over her right shoulder. "Oh, did I wake you? Sorry about that."

"Don't worry. I'm a light sleeper, so it won't take much to wake me." Then he saw Akiko's face. She looked...how should he put it...slightly distressed. She was also looking at him with sadness and...pity?...in her eyes. "Is somethin' wrong?"

"Uh...N-No! I-It's nothing!"

"Don't lie to me. I can see just by lookin' at you that something's on yer mind."

Akiko sighed, knowing he won't let up until she tells him what it is. "Well...about your fight with Ferdiad...I..."

Lancer frowned. He knew what she was going to say. "You saw it, didn't ya?"

Akiko bit her lower lip. "I-I had read about it in your legend...but I never knew what you felt...until now...During the memory, I could feel the emotions you felt as if it was my own memory..."

Lancer sighed. "An' ya feel sorry fer me since I went through that. Well, don't. What's done is done. Once it happens, only a miracle like the Holy Grail can rewrite them."

"I see...But what about my wish? Won't helping me grant it contradict your belief?" Akiko asked.

"A little," Lancer admitted. "But everyone is free to have their own belief, an' that one is yers. I'm not about to judge others because their beliefs don't match my own."

Akiko snuggled into his chest. "I see. Having a belief like that...You're a strong person to not be tempted to change history."

"No. If I did, the people who died would have lost their lives fer nothin'. Even if some of my choices led to my own downfall in the end, I wouldn't want to change it. After all, those choices made me who I am today."

"The past defines you..." Akiko murmured. What about undoing the deaths of her parents? It's part of her past. Would it undo who she is today? Now she was beginning to question it. Sure, she feels guilty about her parents dying and wants to bring them back to life in order to make up for it. But on the other hand, that event shaped most of who she is today. Is it right to erase that?

Lancer chuckled. "Damn, me an' my big mouth. Now I have ya thinkin' about what I said. Forget it. Ya won't be able to go to sleep with questions like that goin' through yer head." He hugged her. "Go back to sleep. Hopefully ya won't have dreams like that again."

"Yeah. Good night."

[End OST]


	12. Day 9 I

**Okay, this was late for a number of reasons.**

 **One: we're doing a large final project in one of my college classes, so I've been doing research on what's needed.**

 **Two: I've been working to get the platinum trophy on God Eater 2: Rage Burst. I did.**

 **Three: my laptop battery. Like I had mentioned, a software issue with it makes me unable to charge it when it's turned on.**

 **Four: it takes a while to boot up, so I only do this when I have a large chapter idea.**

 **Five: I've been working on the lemon next chapter as well. It's about 3,000 words so far.**

 **Six: we adopted a small dog recently. Since I'm in a wheelchair, I like lap dogs. So my parents got me one.**

* * *

[Tender Scenery]

When Akiko woke up the next morning, she found herself still in Lancer's arms. He was already awake and gazing down at his Master.

"So how was the rest of yer sleep? Ya didn't have any more bad dreams 'bout my past, didja?"

Akiko shook her head. "No, I didn't."

"Good. Ya don't need to experience mistakes I made long ago."

"Maybe, but it helps me to understand you better. By the way, how are you feeling today?"

"Still a bit tired, but better than yesterday at least." Lancer slid the covers off the both of them. "But my injuries are still there. 'Fraid I can't speed up the healin' 'till we get to the ley line."

Akiko got out of the futon and started getting out clothes to put on. Lancer just materialized his modern clothes. "Well, at least the mana transfer worked somewhat."

Lancer glanced at her. "Hey, after what happened yesterday, do ya think you'll have school today?"

"I don't know," Akiko admitted as she got her tan tunic on over her white shirt. "Emiya seems to know what's happening at school better than me or Tohsaka, so I guess we'll see what he says."

"But yer still gettin' dressed fer school. So that means ya believe it's likely school won't be cancelled."

"I'm just getting my uniform on just in case we do have school today. Then I won't have to rush to get changed." She finished tying the red ribbon. Then she turned to face Lancer. "Let's head to the kitchen."

When the two entered, they were surprised to see Taiga at the table with Rin, Archer, and Saber. But no Sakura. Instead, Shirou was the one fixing breakfast. The Master and Servant sat down at the table. Akiko glanced at Taiga.

"So you were discharged from the hospital?"

"Yup!" Taiga replied. Then her eyes locked onto the food Shirou was setting on the table. Once everyone got a plate of food, Taiga spoke up again. "And you wouldn't believe what the doctor had the nerve to ask me!" She made her voice deep like a man's. "It's unusual to see a patient as healthy as you are, Ms. Fujimura! Would you care to donate some blood?'" Taiga made her voice normal again. "Come on! I'm just as sick as everyone else!"

Shirou swallowed the food he had in his mouth. He was sitting next to Saber. "At least they didn't have to cancel school today."

Akiko looked at him. "Oh, they didn't? I would've thought they would after yesterday."

"It's strange, though," Taiga said, taking a bite. "The only explanation they gave us for what happened was something about chemicals in an abandoned classroom."

"Maybe that's what it was." Akiko hoped that explanation would be enough to satisfy the curiosity of others. If it wasn't, there may be more of an investigation. And it may uncover traces of what really happened.

"And even though Sakura's still in the hospital, she isn't that sick. So she'll be discharged tonight," Taiga added.

"It's good that it sound like no one is suffering from major complications," Shirou said with a sigh of relief.

[End OST]

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

A little later, Taiga left for school, leaving Shirou, Rin, Akiko, Saber, Archer, and Lancer in the kitchen. Then, later, the six of them got ready for school. The Servants were waiting for their Masters to get ready. When the humans came out, they saw the Servants waiting for them at the front door. Archer was leaning back on the wall next to the door with his arms crossed. His eyes were closed and he was tapping one finger on his forearm impatiently.

"About time," he said. "And Rin and I have something to say."

"Oh, right, about the investigation?" Akiko looked at Rin. "So? What did you discover?"

"Well, as we thought, the victims were the mages sent here. But Archer and I found something else."

"You did?"

Rin nodded. "I sensed traces of mana at each crime scene, but Archer was able to tell it was from a Servant."

"Wait, a Servant?!" Shirou, Akiko, Saber, and Lancer all exclaimed at the same time.

"That's what it was," Archer said, opening one eye. "And that means the culprit is related to the Grail War."

"But why mages?" Shirou asked. Akiko turned her head to face him.

"Mages are larger sources of power than regular people. This Servant is probably looking for a large boost in power."

"That's a sick way to go about it!"

"It is."

After that, the six left the house and went in the direction of the school. The three Servants were walking a step behind their Master, covering them from attacks from behind. Then Akiko spoke up when they were away from others on the sidewalk.

"You three will keep an eye on the school as usual," she said, looking over her shoulder at the Servants.

"Well, of course," Archer replied. "Especially with the incident yesterday." Saber nodded in agreement.

"Hopefully that won't happen again today. But it's best to play it safe."

[Gentle Everyday]

When the school came into sight, the Servants broke off and headed for the trees. As the three Masters went onto campus, they saw that there wasn't as many students milling about outside as usual. About a third of students and teachers were still in the hospital. Though most, like Sakura, would probably be discharged tonight. When they entered the school building and went up to the third floor, Akiko noticed something that mildly got her attention.

She looked around. "Will wonders never cease? Shinji isn't stalking us since Tohsaka and I are here. He must be keeping his distance from us because of yesterday."

"Probably. Anyway, let's get to class before the bell goes off and we're counted tardy," Rin said. The two girls went to class 3-A while Shirou went to class 3-C. Rin went to her desk by the window while Akiko sought out Ayako. Like Taiga, she had been discharged from the hospital last night. She found her friend sitting in her desk. Akiko went over and Ayako glanced over at the teen as she drew near.

"Hey, Mitsuzuri, just curious. I haven't seen Shinji. Know where he is?" Akiko asked.

Ayako shook her head. "I don't think he's even at school today. He didn't show up for archery practice this are you asking? I though you didn't give a crap about him."

"Like I said, I'm just curious," Akiko replied. "I just noticed because he didn't bug Tohsaka or I when we came in."

"Yeah, that is unusual. But like I said, I don't know anything either."

The rest of the school day went normally, without any incident. When the final bell went off, the three Masters left together. At the front gates, they were joined by their Servants. It wasn't until they were halfway back to Shirou's house that something happened.

[End OST]

A creature that looked to be a bird made of crystal swooped down to the group. Rin looked up and held out her left arm. The bird landed on her forearm. Then it chattered and chirped to the girl. Then it shattered, the broken pieces that fell to the ground looking like glass. Then Rin looked at the others, who were all staring at her, waiting for her to say something.

"What was that about?" Shirou asked.

"Let's get away from the school, then I'll tell you," Rin replied. They were surrounded by not many outsiders, but outsiders nonetheless.

Shirou blinked in confusion, but didn't say anything else. So the group walked in silence, going down the sidewalk further.

[Footsteps of Destruction]

"I have something to tell all of you now that we're away from anyone who might overhear," Rin spoke up when no others were near the group. All eyes were pointed at her. "Right after Shinji fled, I had one of my familiars spy on him. However, at night, something happened."

"Did the familiar lose track of Shinji?" Akiko asked.

Rin shook her head. "No. Something happened to Shinji."

Shirou spoke up next. "Is this related to the reason he wasn't at school today?"

"It is," Rin replied. "I didn't think it was strange at first until just a little bit ago. But now I do know. That Shinji was eaten."

"Wait, what?!" Shirou exclaimed.

"It may be hard to believe, but that's what my familiar reported," Rin told him.

Akiko crossed her arms. "If it's a Servant, then it has to be either Caster or Assassin. After all, we haven't encountered either yet."

"What 'bout Berserker?" Lancer asked his Master.

"I doubt it. After all, that monster's strong enough as it is. Illya most likely wouldn't feel the need to strengthen her Servant by having him eat mages. Since Shinji was without a Servant last night, he would be easy prey."

"If the person responsible runs out of Servant-less mages in the city, then it could go for Masters with Servants next," Rin said.

"...And we could become targets," Shirou finished. "Shouldn't we let Kotomine know?"

"No," Akiko replied. "He's most likely already figured this out as well. And we should wait to tell him until we at least know who the murderer is."

[End OST]

The rest of the way back to the house, no one else spoke. Inside, they all went into the kitchen. Of course, Taiga wasn't there yet. She was still at the school, wrapping up her duties.

"Well, it's time for me to go to work," Shirou said.

[Time Together]

Saber stood up, facing Shirou. "After what happened to Shinji last night, I cannot afford to leave you alone. So I will accompany you to work."

Shirou sighed. "I'm not a baby. I can look after myself. Besides, I have a Servant still. So I'm unlikely to be attacked just yet."

"That may be true, but your abilities as a mage are low," Saber insisted. "The culprit may not care that you have a Servant and might decide to get rid of you before you get stronger."

Shirou sighed again. "Fine. You can come if it will make you feel better."

Saber smiled and closed her eyes, looking like she was feeling triumphant. "I am glad that you understand my viewpoint."

[End OST]

Rin glanced at Akiko. "I take it you and Lancer are going to leave for work as well?"

Akiko stood up. "Yeah. Let's go, Lancer. And I hope that you don't collapse again."

"Like I said, I'm feelin' better. So I should be fine," the spearman replied.

Shirou looked at Rin. "We'll, I'm going to leave the house to you and Archer until we get back."

"Fine. Have fun."

Akiko sweatdropped. "Work isn't exactly 'fun'..."

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

[A Beautiful Melody]

As soon as Akiko and Lancer stepped through the front door of Ahnenerbe's, Susumu glanced at them.

"Lancer? You're here? Are you sure you're up to working today?"

"Don't worry!" Lancer replied, grinning. "I feel much better!"

"I hope," Kazuhiro said as he stepped out of his own room. "That 'accident' caused several of our customers to become uncomfortable and many ended up leaving early."

"They probably though that being here any longer would get them sick too," Akiko said as she headed to the back room to get changed into her uniform. Lancer followed her, going to grab his own and get changed in a stall in the mens' bathroom.

When Lancer got his uniform and went out of the back room to get changed, Maiko spoke up. "Even though you're feeling better, Lancer, try not to push yourself too hard!"

Lancer had his back to the waitress when she finished. He just raised his right hand in a hailing gesture to show that he heard her. "Don't worry. I'll be careful." Then he turned his head to look over his left shoulder back at Maiko and grinned. "But thanks fer yer concern, cutie!"

Maiko blushed intensely. Only when Lancer disappeared into the bathroom did Susumu speak up. "Did he just flirt with you, Eguchi? I though he and Hashomoto were dating."

Maiko was still blushing, staring at the closed mens' bathroom door. Kazuhiro chuckled and turned to his office. "You're lucky that Hashomoto didn't hear that, Morikawa. Otherwise, she would have killed you."

Susumu looked at Kazuhiro and sweatdropped. "...I take it you would let her, wouldn't you?"

"Well, I'd be mad at her for offing my only cashier, but I know she does martial arts. And I also know that she's been a black belt for several years. So she would kick my ass. Besides, I could hire another cashier."

"Oh, that make me feel _so_ much better..."

Kazuhiro chuckled again as he went into his office, reaching back with his right hand to grasp the doorknob. "I like to know those kinds of things about my employees so I know if they can kill my ass if I get on their bad side." His door was closed behind him.

The shift went normally for Akiko and Lancer. And Lancer didn't suddenly collapse again like yesterday.

[End OST]

After the shift was over, Akiko and Lancer changed back into their street clothes after helping tidy the place up. Then they walked back to the Emiya residence. By now, it was night. The moon was in the sky, surrounded by a few clouds.

Once the two entered the house, they went straight to the kitchen like they normally do, for dinner. But only Rin and Archer. No Shirou and Saber. Rin stood up, looking at Akiko.

"Emiya called. He says he has to work late, so just you and I will go to Ryuudou Temple with our Servants."

Akiko sighed. "Hopefully we won't run into trouble on our way there."

"We still have two Servants, so we should still be fine if that happens."

"Yeah, but Lancer doesn't have enough mana to fight back."

"Well then, we'd better hope we don't get pulled into a fight," Rin said as she got her jacket off the coat rack near the front door.

Akiko just sighed again. "Geez..."

Once the four were out the door, the Servants grabbed each Master and leapt off toward the bridge with them. They were moving so fast that if anyone happened to look up and see them, the Servants would be gone in an instant. This would make the person who saw them convinced that they had only imagined it.

At the bottom of the stairs to Ryuudou Temple, the two Servants landed on the ground and stopped. Akiko looked up at Lancer.

"Is something wrong?"

Archer was the one who answered her question. "There seems to be some kind of bounded field surrounding Mt. Enzou. I don't know what it does, and I'm pretty sure we don't want to find out."

"Is there any way past it?" Rin asked.

"There is," Archer replied. "An opening in the bounded field exists at the stairs."

"Then I guess we'll go in that way," Akiko said.

Lancer looked uncertain. "This feels like a trap, don'tcha think?"

"I guess there's only one way to find out," Archer said, going for the stairs. "Let's go."

Lancer sweatdropped. "...An' ya'll call _me_ reckless..."

"He's right," Akiko said to Lancer. "Trap or not, we still need to get you to the ley line."

Lancer sighed that his Master was also being reckless, but decided not to argue. He would most likely lose anyway. So he ran up the stairs, following Archer.

"I won't allow you to get past me."

[Whirlpool of Fate 2]

The four stopped at the sound of a new voice. It belonged to a man standing in front of the Ryuudou Temple gate at the top of the stairs. The man wore a purple haori over an even lighter purple kimono. Over his legs was a purple hakama. It wasn't as purple as the haori but it was darker than the kimono. He had blue eyes and long blue hair tied up into a high ponytail. On his back was a long katana in a blue sheath.

Lancer and Archer set down their Masters and got their weapons out, taking fighting stances.

"Are you a Servant?!" Lancer demanded.

The man smiled. "Indeed I am. I am Kojirou Sasaki, an Assassin-class Servant."

Archer barked a single laugh. This was uncharacteristic of him, so it shocked Akiko, Rin, and Lancer. "You just gave us your true name? Are you stupid?"

Kojirou continued to smile, not at all offended by the light insult. "It is only natural to name onesself before fighting, no?" The man reached back and pulled his long katana from its sheath. The blade was long. To keep it off the ground. Kojirou held it at his side in a way that the blade was slanted down about 15 degrees from the handle.

Lancer grinned. "A close-combat fighter! A perfect match fer me!"

"Even after that mana transfer, you still didn't have a lot. Not nearly enough to fight a Servant." his Master said. Akiko held up her right hand even to the middle of her body. The back of her hand was up. And it was pointing to Lancer. "My Servant Lancer," Akiko spoke. Her three Command Seals began glowing with a red light as she invoked one of them. "I grant you the mana stored in one of my Command Seals." One of the marks, the far right wing shape, faded. It was still visible, but it looked so scratched up the mark was almost gone completely.

A light blue glow enveloped the outline of Lancer as the mana flowed to him. "Are ya sure about usin' up a Command Seal to give me mana?" he asked.

Akiko lowered her hand. "I am. It may not even be enough for you to use your Noble Phantasm and fight, but it should be enough for you to only fight off one Servant." Akiko faced Rin. "But the fight will be hard on him."

Rin nodded in understanding of what Akiko was implying. She meant this for Lancer to survive fighting Assassin head-to-head alone. "Archer will support Lancer." She turned to her Servant. "We don't know what kinds of tricks Assassin has up his sleeve, so just to be safe, use arrows to support Lancer."

"Very well," Archer replied. He turned around and took a massive leap, towards the city.

Lancer spoke to the two female mages behind him, but not taking his eyes off his opponent, who was about five steps up. "Both of you get back so ya don't get caught up in the fight."

Akiko bit her lower lip. Part of her made her want to stay and support Lancer. But she knew he was right. With her low mana levels, she would only be a hindrance to him, one that could get him killed. And while Rin was not low on mana, she needed to keep Akiko safe. If she let the silver-haired girl die, Lancer would make sure to kill her before he vanishes.

"Fine. We'll wait at the bottom of the stairs. Good luck," Akiko said to him.

[End OST]

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Once the two Masters ran down the stairs, Lancer and Assassin were the only ones left near the temple entrance, both staring the other down.

"Get outta the way, an' I'll let ya live," Lancer said slowly, holding his spear at the side of his body with both hands, diagonally.

Assassin smirked. "And if I say no?"

Lancer bared his teeth. "Then I'll kill ya!"

[Lightning Swordsman]

Lancer struck first, seeming to vanish as he went at Assassin at blinding speeds. He stabbed his spear forward at Assassin's head. Still smirking, Assassin made the spear's tip go past his right ear by bashing the blade of his katana onto the shaft.

"Not fast enough, I'm afraid," Assassin said. Then he kicked with his right foot, hitting Lancer in the chest. As the spearman was shoved back, he backflipped, landing on the same stone step he started on. As soon as his foot hit it, Lancer lunged at Assassin again, swinging his spear sideways at the samurai's neck. Assassin held his katana next to his neck to block the incoming weapon. The blade stopped the lance, but this was just a diversion. As soon as Gae Bolg was stopped, Lancer launched a kick with his right foot at Assassin's face. The blow landed, making the two break apart so that three steps were between the two.

Assassin was covering his face with his free hand. Blood coming hard out of his nose coated his palm. Some leaked off the sides of the appendage and hit the ground like drops of rain.

Lancer grinned as he positioned himself and his spear to strike again. "Heh! Betcha didn't see that comin'!"

Assassin lowered his hand from his face. His fast healing as a Servant made his nose stop bleeding. "Laugh now while you can. But once this fight is over, I will have the last one."

"We'll see 'bout that!"

The two spirits vanished. Then sparks showered over the second step between the both of them, the midway point, an instant later. The two were suddenly there, their weapons grinding against each other, both of them slightly in the air as they pushed their weight against their own weapon.

The feet of both hit the ground a second later, the owners still pushing their weapon against the other. But the two Servants were on the same step. There wasn't any room for them to shift back or forward. In fact, it was so cramped, that their weapons were clashing at the side of their bodies. Lancer and Assassin were shoulder-to-shoulder with each other.

While Lancer was wobbling slightly, uncomfortable with fighting in this close of a proximity, Assassin was fine with it. He is used to fighting closely like this. So while Lancer's attention was focused on the two clashing weapons, he didn't see Assassin throw a backhand at his his right cheek with his left hand. And it was a hard blow, too. Lancer went flying back, soaring over several steps. He hit a large square of stone dozens of steps down on his back, his right cheek having a forming bruise on it.

Lancer groaning slightly, trying to regain himself, his vision blurred for a few seconds. His vision cleared just in time for him to see Assassin in the air over the spearman, katana gripped in both hands and positioned to stab down. Lancer, thinking fast, rolled to his right just in the nick of time. The tip of the katana dug into the stone, cracking the hard material around it.

In the moment Assassin's attack had left him frozen, which was less than half a second, Lancer got up onto his feet. His legs were bent, like he was squatting. He leaned his body, his own head aimed for Assassin's. He held his spear horizontally in his right hand, ready to stab. His legs quickly extended again like a pair of coiled springs, launching his body forward. His spear stabbed forward, going for Assassin's head.

Assassin though quickly and, to defend himself, held his left hand up and grabbed the tip of the spear head-on. The tip sliced through flesh. Assassin ignored the pain and used his skewered palm to redirect the spear. It was made to go past his head, the bloody tip grazing the samurai's left ear. The entire tip had gone through Kojirou's hand and now the beginning of the crimson shaft was in it.

"What?!" Lancer exclaimed, his red eyes widened in surprise. Assassin grinned and, with his right hand on the handle, ripped his katana out of the ground. Before Lancer could react fast enough to let go of his spear and fall back, the blade of the katana entered him under his ribs.

"Gh!" Lancer grunted through clenched teeth. A metallic taste was filling his mouth and small trickles of red liquid seeped out from the small gap in between the divide between his two rows of teeth. Then Assassin tensed the hand wrapped around the handle of his weapon like he was about to do something else to harm the other Servant. Before Lancer could find out what that would be, he jumped back, ripping himself free from the katana while pulling his own spear out of Assassin's hand. When the weapons were freed from flesh, each blade pulled out blood from either wound. The liquid flew through the air in an arc.

Kojirou was no longer smiling. But he still looked calm. He had let his injured hand go limp at his side, blood rapidly dripping from the tips of his fingers. "You're quick enough when it comes to retreating."

Lancer grinned, showing both rows of teeth. "Heh, the fun's only startin'!"

Assassin's smile returned. "Oh? So you have other tricks up you're sleeve?"

"You'll just hafta find out the hard way!"

Away from the fighting, atop a building in town, Archer smirked.

"Good, Lancer. You have Assassin completely distracted."

[End OST]

He projected a sword into his outstretched right hand. When he put it in the black bow he held in his left hand like an arrow, he pulled it back and the weapon thinned into one. He released the tight string and the "arrow" went flying through the air, towards the two fighting Servants.

At the same time, a headache made Akiko double over and clutch the sides of her head in pain. Rin took a step toward her, arm outreached, before pulling it back. She remembered Akiko telling everyone she suffers from chronic headaches.

A vision went through Akiko's mind. Lancer and Assassin jumped back after clashing weapons yet again. A single arrow turning into dozens of arrows flew through the air at them. When Archer fired that arrow, Lancer knew it was coming to where he was. But he thought that the man would be aiming to only take out Assassin, so he didn't attempt to defend himself. He was wrong about the samurai being Archer's only target.

All except one went into Assassin. A single one impaled Lancer through the heart. Even with Lancer's Battle Continuation, even he would last only a little longer than any other Servant with a pierced spiritual core. Archer wanted to make it seem like Lancer's death is just an accident on his part. In reality, he just wanted to get rid of more of the competition. He wasn't counting on Akiko seeing the truth.

The headache vanished and Akiko's head shot up. Arrows glinted red in the sky before flying at the stairway. She may be too late, but Akiko had to at least try to warn Lancer of what was coming.

 _'Archer's gonna try to kill you! Dodge!'_

 _'What?!'_

"What?!"

That was Rin. She was staring at Akiko with shocked, wide eyes. The arrows vanished into the trees.

[Nightmare]

Lancer and Assassin had just jumped back away from each other, Assassin's back facing the temple gate and Lancer's facing the bottom of the stairs. He had just heard Akiko shout at him in his mind. He started turning to his right, eyes wide. "What?!" He was only halfway turned when the hail of red hit and blood flew from both Servants on the stairs.

"LANCER!" Akiko cried as the arrows vanished. She ran up the stairs to see what happened. Rin was mad at Archer. She grumbled at him, communicating to him.

"Get over here. Right. Now! If Lancer died because of you, you're in even bigger trouble than you're already in!"

Wind whipped at Akiko's face as she ran up the stairs as fast as she could. When she was about to the section where the Servants were, she saw blood running over the stone steps and dripping off the edge to the step below. She knew that most of it should be Assassin's blood. But how much of it was Lancer's? Did she manage to warn him in time?

When she reached where the Servants were fighting, Assassin's was back against the stairs, his body vanishing like the arrows that went into his chest already had. Blood was pouring out of the numerous wounds quickly. And Lancer...

Lancer was on his knees, gasping for air. The motion of him turning made his body shift slightly, changing the arrow's target. Unfortunately, its new target was his left lung. It felt like someone had stuck a white-hot metal ball into his chest. The arrow had already vanished along with Gae Bolg, allowing Lancer to put both of his hands over the wound to try and keep the air from escaping. His eyes were squeezed shut in pain and his teeth were grit. Scarlet dripped down his chin.

[End OST]

Akiko ran over to him, going down onto her knees. "Don't worry. I'm here. I won't let you die." Lancer only acknowledged her by opening his left eye slightly and looking at her. She placed her hands over his and tried to pull them away. Lancer wasn't making it easy. Akiko didn't blame him. Blood was just pouring out, so that was a way to try stemming it. But of course, while he was keeping his hands over the hole in his chest, the blood was free to go out the one in his back. Thus, trying to cover it wasn't helping. But it was instinct. He had to be in a lot of pain after all.

Akiko began using a healing spell on Lancer's chest. But the green glow from her palms was tiny. And it went out a second later. Rin was coming up the stairs, dragging Archer by the ear. Then she saw Lancer's wound and Akiko trying but failing to heal him. She let go of Archer and faced her own Servant.

"Keep an eye out for enemies while I help Hashomoto heal Lancer. And if you try that arrow thing again, I'll use a Command Seal to make you commit suicide!" She ran over to Lancer and went to her knees. "I'll help out in order to make up for your inability to do so right now!"

"Try healing his lung first!" Akiko told her.

Rin grit her teeth. "An organ like that was hit?! Damn you, Archer!" Rin covered the wound with both hands, green light coming from them. She directed the healing power to the punctured lung. While she was doing that, Akiko growled and glared at Archer.

"Why did you try to kill Lancer along with Assassin?!"

Archer faced her and narrowed his eyes. He crossed his arms. "How did you know that was what I was aiming to do?"

"Don't dodge the question!"

"We were going to be enemies again later. It would be better to kill a future enemy before then."

Akiko growled again. "But that's later. This is now! And right now, Lancer's your ally!"

Rin spoke up. "I'm sorry for what my Servant did, Hashomoto."

"Don't worry, I don't blame you!"

"But I'm also curious. How _did_ you know that Archer was aiming to kill Lancer?"

Akiko started sweating. When this alliance _was_ over, it would be good for Akiko if Rin didn't know about her power. "Um, lucky guess?"

Rin looked doubtful, but didn't ask more. She sighed. "I need to make sure this doesn't happen again." Her two Command Seals glowed. "By my Command Seal, Archer, as long as our alliance stands, you are forbidden from harming anyone in it!" The U under the upside-down U on the back of Rin's right hand faded after it flashed.

Archer smirked. "Not like I was gonna do something like this again."

Rin glared at him. "With you, it's better to be safe than sorry!"

Akiko glanced at Rin. "I'm surprised you're willing to help save the life of a Servant that isn't your own."

Rin looked back at her. "You two are allies. I don't think I need a reason to save one."

The two were silent for a bit. Then the light faded from Rin's hands and she stood up. By now, Lancer was awake. "However, since that Servant isn't mine. I'm not going to use too much of my mana on him. I only fixed his lung. I still need to save the rest for my own Servant as well as spells."

Lancer glanced at her. "So it's fine if I move now?"

Akiko shook her head. "Don't go trying to get up! You'll strain yourself too hard!"

"I'll be fine," Lancer insisted. He tried to stand up, but only made it on one knee before falling forward on his Master. His chest was against hers, his chin resting on her right shoulder.

"Take it easy! You've lost a good amount of mana!" Akiko said.

Lancer gave a hoarse chuckle. "I still have enough to live. And plus, we're almost to the ley line. Then ya won't hafta worry fer me, hopefully not fer a while."

* * *

 **With Assassin, Lancer even says in the anime of UBW, "Hell, I'd rather not fight him [Assassin] one-on-one."**


	13. Day 9 II

The four ran up the stairs to the gate of Ryuudou Temple. Lancer was leaning on Akiko to support himself.

"Something tells me that Assassin wasn't responsible for the murders," Rin was saying when the group reached the top of the stairs.

Akiko glanced at her. "What makes you say that?"

"Just a hunch, really."

"Well, if that's true, then by process of elimination, the Caster must be the culprit."

"But we don't even know who his or her Master is, much less the location of the Servant," Lancer pointed out.

"We'll worry about that later," Archer said to the man. "For now, let's just focus on getting you to the ley line."

"I know that! I'm not stupid!"

"Sometimes I wonder..."

"Try sayin' that ya think I am out loud, shit-face!"

"Both of you _cut it out_!" Akiko and Rin both shouted.

Archer and Lancer pointed at each other. " _He_ started it!"

"I don't care who started it, this stops _now_!" Akiko growled.

Through the front gate, the ground was still stone. Several meters in font of the four was the temple. They took a step forward when something made them freeze in their tracks.

"Welcome to my lair," someone said, a cackle also in their voice.

"Who's there?!" the group of four demanded, looking around for the source.

[Into the Night]

A woman stepped out of the shadow cast by the front of the temple. She was wearing a dark green - almost black - hooded cloak. Only her mouth was visible, and bits of light blue hair on the sides of her pale white face. She wore purple lipstick on just her bottom lip. Draped over her shoulders was what looked like a dark purple cape.

Archer was the one who spoke first. "Judging by your clothes, you must be the Servant Caster."

"Indeed," she said. She looked at the two Servants. Both got out their weapons. "The man in blue must be a Lancer Servant, judging by his weapon." Then Caster turned her attention to Archer. "Hmm, you use swords, yet something tells me you are not a Saber Servant. So what are you?"

"I don't see a need to answer someone who'll die soon," Archer said back.

Caster chuckled. "My, how arrogant. Do you really believe you can kill me?"

"I'll show you that I can."

"Really?" Caster held out her right hand, palm open. Blue mana gathered in it. The mana stretched out, looking to be shaping a pole. The mana flew off and vanished. In its place was a long silver staff. At one end was two loops, a smaller one inside a bigger one. Her fingers closed around the middle of the shaft. "Do you truly believe it will be that easy?"

Archer crouched down a little further. He looked like he was squatting. Both hands were out at the sides of his body. "You shouldn't underestimate me." Then he vanished. A violet magic circle appeared in front of Caster. Then Archer reappeared behind her and slashed her back with both swords. The magic circle suddenly vanished and Caster fell limply onto the ground. Her body vanished into violet mana.

"Did...you get her?" Rin asked tentatively.

Lancer suddenly stiffened and looked swiftly at the left side of the temple. "Look out!"

A beam of violet came down at Archer. Archer jumped back just before the attack hit him. The ground where the beam hit burst. When the beam was gone, flaming rubble was all that was left of the part of the ground that was hit.

"Good try, but not good enough."

That was Caster's voice! But they _saw_ Archer kill her!

But right over the roof where the beam came from was Caster. She was floating over it, each side of her cloak fanned out like a pair of bat wings. Inside the "wings" was a rainbow pattern. Nine pink-white magic circles were out in front of her, one in front of her chest and four on either side of her.

"How did she do that?!" Rin demanded.

"...Teleportation, huh?" Lancer murmured. "She's a tricky one."

Archer grinned. "Be careful not to make too much noise, Caster. Otherwise, the monks here will be witnesses."

Akiko glanced at the temple. That's right. Some of the monks live here.

"We don't have to worry about any outsiders in the temple seeing us," Caster said.

"Why? What did you do to them?!" Archer demanded.

"Nothing harmful," Caster replied. "I just have a type of sleeping spell on the monks. Once they fall asleep, they can't be woken until the sun appears over the horizon. Even if a tornado tore through this place, they won't stir."

"Are you also responsible for the murders here in the city?!" Akiko demanded.

Caster looked down at her and stopped smiling. "I have heard about the situation, too. But I promise you that it is not me."

"And why should we believe you?!" Rin shouted.

"Because I am only draining people slowly, not eating them. I find that act to be too messy. It would stain my clothes with blood."

"Wait a minute, yer _drainin'_ people?!" Lancer exclaimed.

"That's right, though very slowly. Not enough to kill," Caster replied.

"It's still wrong!" Akiko said.

"Why should you concern yourself with what I am doing?" Caster asked. "After all, the culprit should be your biggest worry."

"Well, whether or not you're telling the truth, it won't matter once I kill you," Archer said. He looked over his shoulder at Lancer. "Akiko. Unless you're willing to give up another Command Seal for Lancer, you should take him to a safe area with you and Rin."

"Fine," Akiko replied. But she wasn't saying fine to taking Lancer to safety. She meant to give Lancer another Command Seal's worth of mana. She held up her right hand and her remaining two Command Seals on the back of it started glowing. "My Servant Lancer -"

Lancer interrupted her. "No, don't."

Akiko glanced at him. "Huh? Why?!"

"Don't waste another."

"But you need mana to fight a Servant!"

Lancer shook his head. "I'm fine with sittin' this one out. 'Sides, ya got this. Right, Archer?"

Archer turned his head slightly to Lancer and smirked. "Yeah. I don't need your help!"

Caster glanced at Archer. "So you're an Archer Servant?" Then she glanced at Lancer. "And he's wounded. Though some of his blood has clotted, he looks to have been injured a short time ago. So that must mean he managed to kill my pawn. I was wondering what that dog was doing, seeing as he let you four through."

"Do you mean Assassin?" Akiko asked the woman. The magic circles in front of Caster vanished, through the rainbow pattern on her cloak still remained.

"Who else would I be referring to?"

"And you called him your 'pawn'," Archer added. "What do you mean by that?"

"Exactly what it sounds like. He is here fighting for me."

Rin's eyes widened. "For you?! But that means -!"

Lancer snarled. "Yer his Master, huh?"

Caster grinned. "I am a mage. What's wrong with me summoning a Servant of my own?"

"You broke the rules, that's what's wrong!" Archer shouted at her.

"It's a little late to concern yourself with something as petty as that," Caster replied. The nine magic circles around her reappeared. "Now then, I believe we should start this fight up again. Don't you agree, Archer?"

[End OST]

[Clashing Souls]

"Hide now!" Archer yelled at the three behind him. At the same time, two of the magic circles on the outer edges of Caster's "wings" each fired a thick beam of violet magical energy down at Archer. He jumped to his left, dodging the beams as they ripped up and burned the ground he had just been standing on.

Rin fled to the stairs. Akiko followed closely behind, helping Lancer try to run, though all he managed was to jog like he had a limp. An explosion from behind shook the ground and the two girls almost fell onto their hands and knees.

"You sure Archer will be fine on his own?" Akiko asked Rin.

Lancer barked a single laugh. "If not, at least I'll be relieved of a headache!"

Rin turned her head, glaring at him over her shoulder. "Hey! If he dies, we'll have less of a fighting chance against Berserker!"

Lancer frowned. "I was _kiddin'_! Sheesh, I haven't forgotten 'bout that monster."

Rin looked ahead of her now. "Don't even _joke_ about him dying!"

"Okay, okay! So~ _rry_!"

"You'd better be! I have faith that he'll win."

Right now, Archer was running and jumping all over to dodge the deadly onslaught of magic. Caster, her attention following Archer, chuckled.

"All you can do is dodge! You can't even _touch_ me!"

"We'll see about that!" Archer said back.

"Hmm?" Caster glanced at Archer's hands. Both of his swords were gone from them! She had been too focused on hitting Archer that she didn't even notice that the swords were gone!

She heard something slice through the air over her head and she looked up. "Oh no!"

Both of the swords were spinning in the air as they were coming down to the mage. He must have thrown them while evading the attacks! Caster raised her staff over her head, the two spinning blades hitting the shaft and bouncing off. Then Caster looked back down at Archer. The man had a black bow in his right hand. He had already pulled what Caster assumed was some kind of special arrow. The butt of it was gold and most of it was the color of silver. The silver part was spiraled. And the Servant was aiming the arrow at the mage. So the swords he threw above Caster were only a distraction!

Then Archer spoke. His voice sounded deep. " **I am the bone of my sword**...Caladbolg!" Then he let go of the taut string and the arrow and the projectile went flying through the air, going for Caster.

Lancer's eyes widened. "Caladbolg?!"

Rin glanced at him. "Do you know it?"

"It's Fergus' weapon. But that isn't Fergus! So who _is_ he?!"

Caster gasped at the arrow coming at her. Waves of blue energy were coming from it. She quickly thrust her staff out in front of it. A large violet shield appeared from the head. The arrow collided with the shield, but the defense didn't hold out for more than a second. The shield shattered as Caladbolg went through it. Caster screamed as light from Caladbolg engulfed her. The arrow continued upward, vanishing into the sky.

[End OST]

Smoke covered the entire area, reaching to the stairs. The three there had to cover their mouths with their forearms, coughing from any dust they had inhaled. Archer lowered his bow, still staring at the spot where they had last seen Caster.

"Is it done?" Rin asked.

Archer sighed and his bow vanished into flecks of blue mana. "No. She got away."

"How?!"

"She used the dust from the blast as a cover for her to make her getaway."

"Even if she did escape, there's no way she came outta that unscathed," Lancer pointed out.

"Either way, we'll have to deal with her again later," Archer said.

Lancer's stare would be burning a hole in Archer right about now. "...Tell me, why do you have Caladbolg?"

"Why does it matter to you?"

"Caladbolg is the name of the sword that belonged to my foster-father, Fergus mac Roich."

"And?"

Lancer tried to calm his frustration with Archer down. "I'll ask again: why do _you_ have it?"

"I have it for the same reason for other Servants having the weapons they have."

"You called out the name! It _must_ have been yer Noble Phantasm! An' those are linked to the myths surroundin' Heroic Spirits!"

"Well, perhaps I have a connection to it."

"Bullshit! Fergus wouldn't give up Caladbolg!"

"Maybe he did, and you just didn't find out."

"Oh _sure_! Even if he did, I never heard about _you_!"

"I wasn't all that noteworthy."

"I highly doubt that news of a bowman wielding swords wouldn't spread!"

"Okay, that's _enough_ you two!" Akiko shouted. "You two can argue about Caladbolg later! Right now, we have to get to the ley line."

Lancer growled, still angry at Archer. "Fine. Let's go."

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Caster was leaning back against a tree near Ryuudou Temple. She was panting hard, a trail of blood going down her face, starting at her hairline. Numerous wounds, ranging in size from small cuts to large gashes littered her body, drenching her cloak and turning it black as night.

"*huff*...*huff*...That was a close call...If I didn't shift my body slightly...I would have died..."

She used the large amounts of mana that she had absorbed to close her wounds and erase the blood staining her. Even after healing herself, she was still panting hard. "That Archer...He's an interesting one...Able to make me flee..."

Caster gasped and hugged her side with one arm. "Gh..! A rib must be broken..." That was troublesome. The spare mana could close any external injuries she had, but only sped up the healing of internal ones.

"I can still sense them here at Ryuudou Temple...They might be planning to take out my Master..."

She moved away from the tree and walked with a limp back to the temple. "I mustn't let that happen...I must protect him..."

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

When the three finally reached Ryuudou Lake, where the ley line is, they had left Ryuudou Temple far behind. It was quiet, aside from the breeze rustling the leaves of the trees encircling the lake. Lancer detached himself from Akiko and sat down at the treeline to the lake's shore.

"If I spend the night here, I should be good." He took a meditative position, crossing his legs and having his palms on his knees. He was concentrating on taking in the mana. "However, I will need someone to guard my back durin' this. After all, Caster could be nearby."

"I'll stay here with you!" Akiko instantly offered. Lancer glanced at her.

"Ya sure? Ya don't have enough mana left to even cast a single spell to defend yerself."

"I bet I could find a non-magical way to defend myself."

"Maybe ya've forgotten that she's a Servant."

"I haven't. But you'll be at an even bigger risk of an attack while you're doing this. You'll be completely defenseless."

Lancer sighed. He already had a feeling that his Master won't back down from this argument now that she's set her mind to it. "...Fine. But if we do get attack, don't bite off more than ya can chew. If ya need to, retreat. Ya can use a Command Seal to teleport me to you."

"Okay!" Akiko exclaimed. She sat down cross-legged next to Lancer.

Rin spoke up. "You're good now, right?" Lancer nodded. "Then we'll wait for you two back at Emiya's."

The two turned around to walk back, but Lancer turned his head to look over his shoulder, staring at Archer.

"Archer."

Archer stopped and turned his head to look at Lancer.

"What?"

"When I get back, we'll pick up where we left off."

"On what?"

"On our discussion about why ya have Caladbolg."

Archer faced Lancer fully. "You're still concerned about that?"

"I'm not concerned. I'm curious. You shouldn't have it unless ya come from my time period."

Archer grinned. "...That's what you think," he whispered under his breath.

Lancer narrowed his eyes. "Ya say somethin'?"

Archer turned his body back around. "It's nothing."

"...I highly doubt that."

"Think whatever you want. I'm outta here."

As Archer left, Lancer was angry enough to get up, go over to Archer, and beat the crap out of him.

"Hey! I'm not done talkin' to ya!"

Akiko sighed. "Lancer. Leave it for when we get back." She looked at Rin. "We'll be fine, so you can head back too."

Rin nodded and turned to follow Archer. About a couple hours later, Akiko got up to check near the trees. She heard a twig snap and she went to make sure it wasn't an enemy. Nothing was there, though. And aside from the ley line and Lancer, she couldn't sense any traces of mana nearby.

When Akiko walked back to Lancer, the man opened his eyes and looked over his shoulder at his Master.

"This ley line is pretty strong. I should have a full tank in a couple hours. But yer runnin' low."

"What about it?" she asked.

Lancer grinned and stood up, turning to face Akiko fully. "I was thinkin' maybe I should pay ya back fer last night..."

Akiko blushed. "W-What do you mean?"

Lancer's face was only mere millimeters from Akiko's. "Ya know what I mean. I wanna do a mana transfer to ya."

Servants were also able to transfer mana to others. And Lancer was going to use Akiko's lack of mana to make her consent to doing this.

The man lightly stroked the right side of his Master's face. "Don't make an excuse by sayin' ya only did it fer my sake. Ya could've used a Command Seal to give me mana that time, but ya didn't. Ya really wanted to have sex with me, didn't ya?"

Akiko's blush only grew more intense and she looked shyly away. "M-Maybe I did, maybe I didn't. What of it?"

Lancer leaned back from Akiko's face and barked with laughter. "Playin' hard to get, are ya? I like that kinda game!"

He grabbed Akiko's shoulders. Akiko looked at him with wide eyes. "Hey! What do you think your doing?!"

Lancer grinned, like a pervert seeing under a girl's skirt. "The monks are asleep, an' everyone else is too far away to hear us. C'mon! Stop tryin' to act like ya don't wanna do this."

"Wait! Are you suggesting a mana transfer to me?!"

"What else would I mean?"

Akiko exhaled slowly. "...Fine. If this is what you really want."

Lancer chuckled. "Not just me. You want this too. So I'll give ya what ya want..."

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

 **Start lemon**

[Pursuing Minds]

He leaned his head to his Master and licked the outer edge of the mage's left ear as he gently pushed her down to ground. Lancer moved his body over her's, on his hands and knees. He knew this would be her second time having sex, but with the first time he was too weak to do much. But now he was feeling better. And he wanted this to be an unforgettable experience for Akiko. He really loved her. So Lancer went to work on making her feel good.

Lancer moved his face to his Master's mouth next. His lips closed over Akiko's own. She hesitated for an instant, a little unsure of how to do this in a way that would also be pleasant for him, before giving in and returning the pressure he was placing on her, unable to resist his warm lips. She closed both hands around the back of his head to pull him as close to her as she could. Her fingers threaded themselves into the base of the blue hairs in his ponytail. But the closeness of Lancer to Akiko wasn't close enough for her. She growled softly in annoyance.

Lancer could sense that she was frustrated and decided to relieve it for her. He opened his mouth enough for his tongue to move past his lips, licking Akiko's own lips. She understood he was asking permission to enter her mouth.

She parted her lips just enough to let her tongue out and to let Lancer's enter. As soon as Lancer felt her tongue on his lips, he opened his mouth enough to let it past. Now they were kissing deep enough for Akiko's preference. They were licking vigorously at the insides of each others mouths like a dog would to peanut butter on its nose. His tongue felt like a slimy eel was in her, but at the same time, it felt wonderful. And she couldn't bring herself to stop.

Akiko groaned slightly in disappointment as Lancer removed his tongue and his lips, but began writhing lightly again with what he did next. His lips moved to her jawline. He was licking the smooth skin and this made her shiver in anticipation of what they were about to do together. He trailed his mouth slowly down her neck and he nibbled lightly at her collarbone then biting down on it hard enough to bruise and mark her as his. Then he licked the spot. He got a moan from his Master in return. He was going to go further down, but Akiko's shirt was in the way. Well, he soon took care of that problem.

He lifted her shirt off over her head. The air surrounding Akiko made her shiver a little, but the body heat coming from her Servant warmed her. Lancer's hands went to her white bra next, the only thing covering her plump breasts now. His fingers undid the clasp behind her and got the article of clothing off his Master, her boobs now completely exposed.

He reached down to her chest to cup her right one. It was soft, like a pillow. But it also felt like it would jiggle like jelly if he bounced it. She took a sharp inhale of breath when his thumb began rolling her nipple and using his other fingers to knead the supple flesh. Wanting to see a bigger reaction from her, he placed his lips next on her left nipple, biting down ever so lightly on the pink-red bud. He was rewarded with a soft moan coming from her lips and her grip on the back of his neck grew tighter.

"Cu Chulainn..." she groaned.

He slowly licked a trial down to her belly button, both hands slowly sliding down either side of her body. When he got to her pants line, she really began to writhe in anticipation of what he was going to focus on next.

As he started sliding her pants down, she lifted her legs slightly off the ground so he could get them all the way off her ankles. But the pair of pink-and-white panties she had on under them looked drenched. They were darkened like they were wet and some of the liquid they had soaked up was leaking out. When Lancer ripped off Akiko's panties, he found that she was totally soaked. Her soft folds were coated in a layer of her juice. It caught the moonlight and sparkled slightly. A little bit slowly ran down to the back of her thigh and stopped at the ground.

Lancer chuckled under his breath. "This is the second time yer super-wet. Is the thought of you havin' sex with me that much of a turn-on fer ya?"

Akiko's blush only grew more intense than it already was. "N-No!" He gave her a look that said he didn't believe her for a second and began to pleasure her down there in order for her to give a more honest response.

Lancer spread Akiko's legs apart and began licking his Master's inner thighs, going slowly up them starting with her right one. When his nose almost touched her opening, he switched to the other thigh, licking a slow trail down. When he got to her knee, he reversed and worked his way up the thigh again. He made sure to breathe hot air on her sex when he switched to the other leg in order to make Akiko squirm. But she did it with frustration. She began to get fed up with all of this teasing. If he didn't stick his tongue, fingers, or dick in her pussy soon, she was actually going to hit him.

Lancer chuckled, sensing the hostile intent coming from Akiko now. "Impatient are we?" He leaned down, his face right in front of her entrance. Before Akiko could say anything, she felt his tongue enter her. He was licking and sucking the soft folds and inside, trying to get all of the liquid coming out of her hole.

"Ah...Ah..!" she panted. Her fingers dug into his hair, all the way down to his scalp, holding him close. She wanted his tongue all the way inside her. It soon was, but it wasn't as far in as Akiko would have liked. She let out a small whine and Lancer seemed to know what it meant. He withdrew his tongue from her.

This only upset Akiko. "No!" And she glared daggers at him as she lifted up only her head. This translated to 'I will kill you if you don't put your tongue back in me!'

"Just calm down," he said. At the same time, he stuck one finger inside his Master. Akiko immediately went back to writhing in pleasure, slamming her head back down onto the ground. He added a second finger and he had to hold Akiko's wrists together above her head with his other hand. Her squirming got even harder. He began scissoring his fingers in her, trying to get her walls more stretched out for the main event.

"Nh..! Feels...so good..!" she managed to gasp out. With the third finger being inserted, he began pumping in her. Her panting was steadily growing heavier. During this, she put her hands on his cheeks and pulled his face to hers, capturing his lips. He more than willingly gave in. The two were soon washing their tongues in the mouth of the other. Lancer's fingers hit a sweet spot inside of Akiko. This made her back arch and her cry out.

Ah!" she gasped, her head falling back and hitting the ground. "Right there!"

Lancer chuckled again. "Ya look like yer havin' a blast."

"Wh-Whatever..."

"So ya aren't? Oh well..." Lancer started pulling his fingers out, but then Akiko wrapped her legs around his waist at lightning speed that surprised even her. This made the man halt, freezing him in place.

"Don't! Keep doing it!"

Lancer grinned at his Master. "Doing what?"

Akiko went even redder. She knew what he was trying to get her to say. But she didn't really care about her pride. She just wanted to keep feeling him in her. She took a deep breath and then spoke.

"Keep...fucking me with your fingers!"

Lancer chuckled. "As you wish." He went back to pumping his fingers inside of his Master and she unwrapped her legs, resting them on the ground on either side of the spearman. The noises she was making steadily grew louder and louder. Pleasure was building up inside of Akiko. She knew what was about to happen.

"Cu Chulainn!" she screamed. Her walls clenched around the man's fingers as she climaxed, her panting hard afterwards. Sweat covered her entire body. Her hair was a mess by now. And most of her face was flushed. Lancer kept lapping at her entrance noisily, trying to get the liquid still clinging to the outside. Then he sat back, licking his fingers to take in the fluids they had collected. As he did, his bodysuit dematerialized.

Akiko blinked at him. "Cu Chulainn? Don't you need to remove only your pants?"

The chill in the air wasn't bothering Lancer. After all, Servants weren't affected by the temperature.

He went on his hands again, his body over his Master's. Lancer was grinning at the sight of the disheveled state he had put the mage in. "I just thought it wouldn't be fair to you if I was the only one still clothed."

Akiko rested both sets of her fingers on his pectorals, and then slid them down to the bottom of his abdominal muscles. This elicited a soft moan from the man above her. She liked to feel his muscles, and she really wanted to feel his torso without the spandex. His muscles were rock-hard and warm. And his skin, while a little rough, mostly felt smooth. And the mana Lancer had taken in had closed his wounds almost all of the way.

Then her hands moved down, from his abdomen to his painfully throbbing erection. Lancer glanced down at his Master. "What are you doing?"

She grabbed the base of his cock, angling it to her opening mouth. "I just feel that I shouldn't be the only one being pleasured."

"Don't worry - "

"Shut up." She silenced the Servant by running her tongue all over the tip. Lancer took a sharp intake of breath through his nose, but kept his mouth shut. Akiko now had the tip in her mouth, and was slowly taking in the shaft, rubbing the part of the erection she hadn't taken into her mouth yet. Her tongue was stroking the underside of it. And she took him in as far as she could before her gag reflex kicked in. She wrapped her arms around his thighs to hold herself there. Lancer soon grabbed the back of her head, pushing her face into her hips. His tip was slightly down the beginning of Akiko's throat and kept hitting the back of it. She gagged but then tried to resist the instinct and just kept sucking the erection.

After a couple minutes of her sucking and licking, Lancer had a strained look on his face. "I'm gonna -!" He didn't even get to finish his sentence before he came into Akiko's mouth. She removed her mouth from Lancer's cock when he was done and was coughing as she swallowed the seed that hit the back of her throat. She managed to swallow it all, but she was afraid she was going to choke doing it.

It was her first time doing this, so it wasn't one of the greatest blowjobs Lancer has even received. But at least she tried, and that's all that mattered to him. When Akiko recovered, she wrapped her hand around the shaft and began rubbing the slightly-softened dick to get it erect again. It didn't take more than a couple seconds. She sat back and opened her legs, exposing her opening to her Servant. Lancer was eager to penetrate her. He angled himself so his hips were near hers. The tip of his member pressed against her entrance, making Akiko mewl in annoyance that he wouldn't hurry it up.

"Ya ready?" Lancer asked, leaning his face so close to Akiko's left ear that his warm breath went into it.

"Yes! Hurry up and fuck me!" she practically growled at him, nodding her head vigorously. She just wanted to feel him in her RIGHT NOW! At this point, she had her pride thrown out the window for this. Lancer didn't waste any more time, pushing himself in all of the way. He seemed to slide into his Master easier, but she was still tight. Akiko gasped when she felt him enter, her walls being stretched out by him even more than with his fingers. It was a little uncomfortable at first, but she quickly got adjusted to his size again and all she could feel was pleasure. Then he began thrusting his hips.

Lancer pulled almost all the way out before slamming himself all the way into her again. He did this over and over. Again and again. He was thrusting hard in her, not starting off slowly at all. He was doing this like a wild animal would to its mate, but it was arousing to Akiko. She was clinging tightly to his back, her nails digging into the skin far enough to make red beads of blood swell up around them. Lancer rubbed her thighs with opened hands, feeling the soft skin under his fingertips. He guided her legs to wrap around his waist. He pressed his chest to hers as he moved inside of the mage, feeling her warm breasts against him. As he thrusted inside her, his chest made her breasts move with him. He head went down to press his mouth to Akiko's. Her hands wrapped themselves at the back of his neck again, pulling him closer. The two wasted no time, going right to exploring each other's mouths. His hands moved to her ass, squeezing each cheek. She moaned into his mouth and pulled back slightly.

"Ah! Ah!" Akiko exclaimed as her Servant kept hitting that sweet spot inside her that his fingers found earlier. This felt fantastic, much better than when they had sex yesterday. Both were soaked with sweat by now, it making their bodies slide against one another easier as Lancer kept thrusting into the teen. He grunted with each thrust into her. Akiko felt the pressure building up inside her again. She clamped around Lancer's dick, holding him deep inside her as she orgasmed. "Ah! Cu Chulainn!"

The man was biting down hard on his lower lip. He was close, too. "Gh..! Akiko!" Lancer grunted as he came hard inside her.

Even after she screamed in joy, her mouth remained open as she panted. That pleasured look on her face combined with all the sweat covering her body, Lancer was sure she never looked like that before. She certainly didn't during the first mana transfer. She wasn't that good at making the experience pleasurable, and that's because it was her first time. But now the one who was showing her what to do was experienced. So she looked much more pleasured after her orgasm. And this made him feel pride swell up in his chest. Because he was the one that caused her to look like that. He was the first one.

Akiko's pussy was lightly clenched around Lancer's cock, squeezing out any leftover cum still in it. As the Servant pulled out, some of his warm cum trailed slowly down Akiko's thighs, a view that Lancer appreciated.

[End OST]

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

 **End lemon**

Lancer's arms gave out and his body fell on top of Akiko's. His chin was on top of her shoulder. Hot air from his panting ruffled the mage's hair. When some of her strength returned a few seconds later, Akiko brought her arms up and wrapped them over her Servant's back, enjoying how close he was. How warm his body was in contrast to the surrounding air. But he was a little heavy.

As soon as Lancer recovered a second later, he rolled off Akiko and lay on his side on her right, facing her. "Ya enjoy that?"

Akiko turned her head to look at him. The she reached out to him with her right hand, cupping his left cheek and leaning her face to his. She kissed him softly. "You don't need to even ask, since you should already know the answer."

Lancer wrapped his left hand around to the back of Akiko's head and the right was on the bottom of her back. He pulled her body closer to his and the kiss slowly got deeper. "I take that as a 'yes' then?"

Akiko chuckled into the man's mouth. "What do you think?"

"I think we need to do this again."

"Later. Not right now." Akiko stood up and grabbed her discarded clothes. "I'm tired." She sat back down next to Lancer and started putting her clothes on. "You should finish absorbing mana so that we can get back."

Lancer materialized his modern clothing. He sat up and wrapped an arm around the back of Akiko's shoulders. "Fine."


	14. Day 9 III

**Sorry for the wait. I had writer's block on Akiko's backstory.**

* * *

[A Beautiful Melody]

Some time later, forever to Akiko but probably only some hours in reality, Lancer opened his eyes and stood up. It was almost midnight. He looked down at his Master, who had been sitting right beside him the whole time after the mana transfer. Her eyelids drooped, closing all the way for less than a second before she snapped them open again.

"I'm good to go now," he said.

Akiko yawned, fighting to keep her eyes open. "Let's get back so that I can finally collapse in our futon."

Lancer chuckled. "Tired, huh?"

Akiko glanced up at him. "With what we did, of course I'm tired."

Lancer chuckled again. "Well, I'm not."

"That's because you're a Servant that isn't low on mana anymore."

"At least you aren't anymore either."

"But I'm still human. Getting tired sucks when for when I'm trying to keep watch."

Lancer squatted so that his eyes were even with Akiko's. "Well, ya can sleep on our way back." He scooped up his Master, holding her in both arms bridal-style.

[End OST]

[Heart's Chime]

As Lancer stood back up to his full height, Akiko wrapped both of her arms around to the back of Lancer's neck. Her hands grabbed onto her opposite forearm, keeping herself from falling off. "With the wind whipping at my face, I don't know how easily I'll be able to doze off on the journey back."

"Sorry, but I can't help ya with that," Lancer said, getting himself ready to take off. He took a massive leap, landing over 50 meters away from his original location. He kept doing this, until he reached the top of the stairway to Ryuudou Temple. "Hold onto me tight, Master. Gravity'll start to work 'gainst you now."

"Don't worry. I trust you to keep me from falling out of your arms," Akiko replied. But she tightened her hold on the back of the man's neck slightly. Lancer took a massive leap down the stairs. Working with gravity pulling him down made him go down the stairs further than on flat earth. He covered almost 60 meters with that jump.

Once he got to the bottom of the stairs, he jumped on top of a street lamp. Then, without pausing as his legs bent under him as his feet hit the surface, forcing him into a squatting position, he sprang forward again, landing atop yet another street lamp about 50 meters away.

He kept doing this, until he reached the buildings near the bridge. Instead of jumping forward, he jumped up diagonally, landing on the roof of the outer most building. He ran to the opposite edge of the roof and jumped over the road, to the next roof ahead. But soon the buildings got taller, and Lancer had to jump almost straight up sometimes to get to the higher surfaces.

As Lancer went higher, Akiko got colder. While one half of her body was still warm from it being pressed against Lancer, the other felt like it had icecubes pressed against it, and this made her shiver. Lancer felt this and used his hands, which were already pressing on that side of Akiko to hold her, to rub her body and warm her a little.

When Lancer jumped on top of the massive red bridge over the Mion River, Akiko's shivering got worse. Lancer did what he could, his arms pulling Akiko ever so slightly closer to his body. But this didn't solve the problem. He instead was running as fast as he could over the top of the bridge. While this did make cold air blow into Akiko's face even harder, this was a way to cross the bridge quickly and get this over with soon for her.

"Don't worry," Lancer said to her. "We're almost back to the lad's house."

"Good, because I am _freezing_!" Akiko growled. But this growl wasn't directed at her Servant. It was directed at the fact she's freezing her ass off!

Before long, Lancer ran up to the Emiya residence, in the front yard. Akiko spoke up.

"About time I can get inside where it's warm!"

Lancer didn't say anything, just chuckled. He opened the door and set his Master down. Lancer shut the door behind him and took off his shoes and hung up his jacket with his Master. All of the lights in the hallways were off, showing that the other four living here were asleep. Luckily, the moon was still left uncovered by the clouds, so Akiko and Lancer were able to use the light from it passing through the windows to find their way to their own room.

While Lancer only had to dematerialize his modern clothes, leaving him in just his boxers, before settling under the covers of the futon, Akiko actually had to change out of the clothes she was wearing to put on her nightgown. Once she had it on, she set the alarm on her phone before joining Lancer in the futon.

"It feels so good to fall asleep in a warm place!" the mage exclaimed and then yawned loudly.

Lancer chuckled and wrapped one arm around his Master. "Ya should get some sleep fer tomorrow."

"That's what I'm planning to do."

[End OST]

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[Whirlpool of Fate 2]

 _A messenger was running as fast as he could to a hut. The king had sent him to get Cu Chulainn. Reaching the thick animal fur over the entrance, the messenger lifted the fabric and ducked under it._

 _Clothes were strewn all over the floor. Clearly someone got to sleep with Cu Chulainn. All he saw was a head of blue hair turned away from him and a fur blanket over a body._

 _"Cu Chulainn!" the messenger shouted. There was a groan and the furs shifted. Cu Chulainn turned around and blinked sleepily at him._

 _A head of long brown hair rose up over Cu Chulainn's shoulder. It was Emer. She had sex with him last night. And she also looked tired. "Ugh, what is it?"_

 _The messenger looked shocked. "Princess! I did not know ya were also here!"_

 _"Forget it!" Cu Chulainn snapped. "Why didja wake us up?!"_

 _"There is a lad near the castle!"_

 _Cu Chulainn looked more awake. "A lad?"_

 _"Yes, one that has defeated some of our best fighters! The king has called on ya ta challenge him next!"_

 _"Fine. What's his name?"_

 _"We don't know. He has refused ta reveal it, even ta the king!"_

 _"Mighty ballsy of him. Just give me a moment ta get ready."_

 _"Very well. I'll wait fer ya just outside." The man went through the doorway and closed the door behind him._

 _When he did, Cu Chulainn pulled the covers off him and started putting on his battle attire. Emer gazed at him with green eyes filled with concern. "Please don't go! If he has taken down the best fighters, chances are good that he will take ya down too!"_

 _Cu Chulainn pulled his long hair into his golden clasp. He spoke without facing Emer. "It's the king's order, so I hafta go." He took a break from putting on his pants to kiss Emer quickly on the forehead. "But I promise I won't fall ta him either."_

[End OST]

 _After getting himself ready, Cu Chulainn headed for the castle. The Red Branch Knights and the king were already gathered at the castle entrance. Across from them was a boy with bright orange hair and red eyes._

 _Cu Chulainn was still in disbelief. "Yer kiddin' me right? He took out some of our best fighters?" Then Cu Chulainn sighed. "Such a waste. If the lad's this strong now, imagine how strong he'll be when he's older." The man pulled out a sword. "So I won't try ta take him down too badly." The kid unsheathed his own sword. Cu Chulainn wore a cocky grin. "Lad, ya picked the wrong day ta do this."_

 _The two sprinted at each other without warning, ending up clashing their swords. Moments later, they lifted away their weapons. Then the stranger swung it sideways over at Cu Chulainn's legs. The man jumped up high enough for the incoming blade to pass under his feet. While still in the air, the knight brought his own sword over his head with the handle gripped tightly in both hands and swung it down on the kid's own head. But he jumped back and the sword only ended up slicing through empty air and smashed the ground hard enough to crack it._

'This lad's pretty good.' _Cu Chulainn thought. The lad took off at Cu Chulainn again, swinging his sword down to cut the man's throat open. Cu Chulainn only had enough time to bring his own sword up to block. But his hasty defense was weak. The knight's sword was forced down a moment later and he had to jump back to avoid getting cut. Then the two ran at each other, exchanging strikes. It surprised Cu Chulainn that the lad was matching his own blows easily, like he fought in the same style as Cu Chulainn himself._

 _Cu Chulainn grit his teeth and the two broke apart, jumping back so that there was a gap spanning several meters in between the two fighters. This wasn't looking good for the knight. If this keeps up, the lad might actually beat him. Cu Chulainn wasn't going to let that happen! Screw going easy! He_ _looked over his shoulder, at the Red Branch Knights watching the fight from the sideline. Good. Laeg was also there._

 _"Laeg! Gimme Gae Bolg!" This will end the fight here and now. Laeg threw him the demonic spear and Cu Chulainn caught it out of the air effortlessly, dropping the sword he had been using in the process. When the kid ran at Cu Chulainn again, the spearman swung his spear at the opposing sword coming for his head. But the power in the swing was enough to send the lad skidding back several meters._

 _Cu Chulainn shifted his stance, the tip of the crimson spear pointing to the ground. Red energy swirled around the whole length of the weapon. "Gae...Bolg!" The fight was over now. Cu Chulainn thrusted the spear forward, but didn't let go of the weapon. A line of red energy came from the tip and hit the boy through the chest, through the heart._

 _The boy's legs gave way and he fell to the ground. Cu Chulainn began walking over to him._

 _As the boy's fading eyes weakly turned to the man coming toward him, his blood-filled mouth opened. "She didn't...teach me that..." Was the last thing the stranger murmured._

 _It wasn't until a short time later that Cu Chulainn learned that the person he had killed was his son._

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[Midnight Interval]

 _For as long as she knew them, Akiko's parents had thought of their daughter as special. That was because she had the Mystic Eyes of Future Prediction. But they didn't think of her as special in the loving way. It was because she was an asset to them, to get the Hashomoto family recognized in the mage world._

 _They provided her with food and shelter and warmth. But this was only to keep her alive long enough for her to grow stronger and get the attention of the Mage's Association._

 _She was homeschooled, despite Akiko's pleas to her parents for her to meet other kids her own age. Her parents wanted to keep her in their line of sight at all times, paranoid someone might try to steal her away if they didn't. She even had surveillance cameras in her own room. She was alone in the bathroom, except one of her parents would always be standing guard outside the door. She never completely learned privacy herself._

 _Her schooling would consist of what would be considered basic teachings in school. Akiko's mother had once been a teacher at a high school before Akiko was born, so she covered that. That way, the Mage's Association wouldn't think of Akiko as lacking a proper education and thus wouldn't be needling her parents with questions. Her dad was the one teaching magic to his daughter. He mostly taught her elemental magic, it's purpose not as much to protect herself. It was to impress others. It was after her parents died that she did martial arts._

 _But, anyway, her parents had acquired the means to make mystic eyes and wanted some for themselves. But they didn't know if the magic would be entirely safe to use on humans. So they used their own daughter as a test subject. When she got her mystic eyes, she went two days upon getting them with no side-effects. And then her parents decided it was safe for them to try._

 _But the result they got was different. They didn't have mystic eyes for more than a minute. However, it seemed to work with Akiko. And so, she still has the same mystic eyes her parents tested her with to this day._

 _What Akiko got was the ability to predict the future, but the events she saw were random ones. Upon first learning of Akiko's powers, her parents had originally intended to use her to see if the Hashomotos would be famous in the mage world, but they backed off when they learned she couldn't._

 _And that was what became Akiko's guilt ten years ago. She had seen the disaster that would happen. But a part of her resented her parents for thinking of their own daughter as nothing more then an animate object. So she kept that vision to herself, instead waiting for hell to come down on them._

 _On that day, right before the disaster happened, Akiko was in New City with her parents. Akiko was taken so her parents would be able to keep an eyes on her. Her parents wanted to see how the construction of the new shopping district there was going. But the disaster destroyed the entire zone and the project was abandoned._

 _Anyway, when the Grail Mud flooded the streets, many people, including Akiko and her parents, fled for the bridge. Eventually, the flow of the Grail Mud halted, but most of New City was on fire now. Part of a building crumbled and Akiko's parents, acting on instinct to protect not only their tool, but their only daughter, shoved her forward._

 _Right as she fell onto the hot ground on her sweaty hands and knees, she heard the crash of the broken part of the building hitting the ground. Sparks rained down on the 7-year-old and she kept her head ducked to protect her face from the bits of the blistering heat. But she noticed the absence of two running footsteps. Where were her parents? And why had they not pulled her back on her feet so they could continue their journey to the bridge that was their salvation?_

 _"Akiko!"_

 _Akiko's head shot up at the sound of her name. Those two voices that shouted it belonged to her parents! By why did it sound like the shouts came from behind her? Shouldn't it be from ahead?_

 _Then Akiko looked over her shoulder and saw why the shouts had come where they came from. While Akiko was fine, her parents were not. The broken piece of the building had fallen onto the two, pinning them to the ground on their stomachs. And the thing that pinned them down was on fire, too. If nothing was done soon, the fire would spread and engulf the two parents._

 _Akiko could use wind magic to slice up the flaming piece, or use water magic to douse the flames and wait for help to arrive. But she did neither. She just stood, frozen, unsure of what she should do. If she helped her parents, they may treat Akiko like a normal human being. But only for a few days. And only because they felt grateful to their daughter for her saving their lives._

 _However, there was one other option available to Akiko. She could leave her parents to die as she ran away, continuing to the bridge. Thinking fast, she chose that option. Later, she would come to regret that decision. Sure, Akiko's parents may not have seen her as their daughter. But that doesn't change the fact they are still her parents, her only biological ones she will ever have._

 _But the choice had been made, to sacrifice the two that were close to her. Now they were gone forever._

 _The day after, Akiko had been taken to an orphanage until it had been discovered that Akiko's deceased parents had made a will just in case the worst happened. It explained that if a time came that they were no longer in this world, that ownership of everything they had would go to their daughter. Deep in their hearts, they really did care for Akiko._

 _However, this made Akiko's guilt at what she did grow worse. But now there was a problem. Akiko was still too young to get a job to pay bills on the house. But that's when the Mage's Association stepped in and helped._

 _They had begun to take notice of Akiko's skills, which were now on an adult's level. She was even working on high-class spells that would be difficult for even an expert magus. Truly, this girl seemed to be a genius, a prodigy mage._

 _So they struck a deal with the girl. They would help with living expenses until Akiko reaches age 16, when she can get a part-time job. In return, Akiko would send the Association notes on her research, so that they can expand on their knowledge of the mage world themselves._

 _With all of that settled, Akiko returned home for the first time after being an orphan. It was weird. Now she could do whatever she wanted in the house, go wherever she wanted, all without one or both of her parents keeping an eye on her._

 _She used some of the money she inherited from her parents to go to school. There, she met Ayako Mitsuzuri and became friends with her almost right away. Two years ago, the Mage's Association sent her to Ireland to help that branch with their magical investigation._

 _That's how she met Bazett Fraga McRemitz. Bazett had a thing for Irish mythology, specifically the ones focusing on the hero, Cu Chulainn. It was clear that she looks up to him. And she also mentioned the Holy Grail War. The winner of the seven-way fight to the death would be able to have a wish granted by the Grail._

 _While most mages would use the Grail to get them to the Root, the source of all magic, Akiko figured that if she won, she could use the Grail to bring back her parents, as an apology for letting them die eight years ago._

 _Then, after Akiko came back from Ireland, she and Bazett stayed in contact. Then, a couple weeks ago, when her Command Seals appeared, Akiko called Bazett to tell her friend that she had been chosen as a Master by the Grail._

 _Bazett, however, had not been chosen and it was unlikely she would if she hadn't already. So she gave Akiko the earring of Cu Chulainn. She still wished for her hero to have a second chance at life. And so Cu Chulainn became Akiko's Servant, her partner, in this Grail War._

[End OST]

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

When Lancer opened his eyes, it was still night out. He looked over at his Master. Akiko was already awake and gazing at her Servant with a mixture of pity and sorrow. Her eyes were puffy and red, like she had been crying. And she was still sniffling.

"Akiko..." he murmured softly, stroking her left cheek gently with his right hand. He could feel wet spots on her cheek, where her tears had fallen. "Ya saw more of my past, didn'tja?"

"Yeah..." she whispered, nodding. "It was when you killed Connla, your son."

"Dammit..." he growled under his breath. "Sorry ya had to see that."

Akiko quickly shook her head. "It isn't your fault that it just happened to be what I saw."

"No, it is. If I had never done that, that wouldn't even be an option fer ya to see." Then he bit his lower lip. "Akiko...'"

Akiko looked at the man with concern. "What's wrong?"

"I saw yer past..."

Akiko didn't show any emotion in her face. "How much?"

"All of it, but I saw it like a slide show."

"So now you know my own story..."

"It feels like an invasion of yer privacy..."

"Eh, no big deal for me. After all, I've seen your past too, so we're even."

[Blue Sky]

"You know, when I saw yer past, I felt how strongly ya believe in yer wish. But recently, when ya told me yer reason, I didn't feel that much passion from you. Is yer wish changin'?"

"I don't know..." Akiko mumbled, burying her face into her Servant's chest to hide her uncertainty. "Hey, Cu Chulainn?"

"Yeah?"

"How would you feel...about staying in this world?"

"What do ya mean?"

Akiko's cheeks burned. "Y'know...after the War is over. Would you be fine with keeping your physical form?"

Lancer chuckled. "Why do ya wanna know?"

Akiko's entire face burned now. "Ugh, just forget I said anything!"

[End OST]


	15. Day 10 I

**I had really bad writer's block and I was also working on a story I will post after I finish this one.**

 **I've been busy doing the Fate/Grand Order event for Kara no Kyoukai. And I got my first five-star Servant! It's Ryougi Shiki in her Saber form! I had gotten a ticket for one free summon, so I did it. I didn't expect to get her!**

 **Sakura108645, Rho: Thank you for your support of this fanfic. It's because of readers like both of you that make me try to continue if I can.**

 **The reason I'm OK with flames...when I first learned I can't walk now, I criticized myself a lot, calling myself useless and a waste of space on this already crowded. I truly believed I didn't deserve to live anymore, that I wouldn't have to suffer from my changing life if I just gave up and died. And then we got my medical bills. They totaled almost $1,000,000. Then my depression got worse. I thought that if I hadn't begged to go to the hospital that fateful Sunday, if I had just waited for my illness to kill me, then my parents wouldn't have to fight with our insurance company. I contemplated suicide more than once or twice...I really wanted to be set free from the torment that is my life now, even if that meant taking my own life.**

 **I'm still here because I have things to look forward to, and I can't experience them if I'm dead. Like a new Fate anime or the new dog to replace the one that was put down because he had cancer on January 2nd. I'll miss him a lot. R.I.P. Newman. Dammit, I'm crying. He was a really good dog. He sensed I would be gone for some time when I was put in the hospital. On the day I would be discharged, he hopped on my bed after Mom had just washed it and stayed there until I came home. He didn't get up to eat and he held in the urge to pee most of the day.**

 **It's hard to believe that after getting him from the pound 8 years ago, that he's gone. I hope he at least died satisfied with his life after we took him in.**

 **Wow, I can't believe I typed that. But it felt good to get it off my chest.**

 **Update: On January 24...Lainey, the two-year-old boxer we adopted to replace Newman...was hit by a car.**

 **What happened was this: my brother let her out around 4:30 so she could go pee. But she must have been chasing something outside because she never came back to the door. He and my dad went searching for her after Dad got home almost an hour later, but had no luck. So he called to report her missing. Then, while we were eating dinner, Mom suddenly said the neighbor must have found her because his truck was parked in the gravel lane for a while, and was now heading to our house.** **Mom and Dad went to the garage where the truck stopped and then I heard Mom say "She's dead?!"**

 **It was pitch-black out, so the neighbor didn't see Lainey run in front of his truck until it was too late. Dad and I were unable to finish dinner and I cried myself to sleep.** **So both she and Newman died in the same month. So the depression was even worse.**

 **Lainey was such a sweetheart, always laying down on the couch next to us or on my bed. She would always lick our faces and jump up whenever we came home.**

* * *

The next morning, Akiko's phone woke the mage up. But she wasn't happy.

"Just a few more minutes!" she groaned pulling the covers over her head. Lancer, on the other hand, was fully awake. He placed one hand on Akiko's shoulder and lightly shook her.

"You need to get up. Ya have school today an' I don't feel like hearin' ya bitch 'bout havin' homework to make up."

Akiko's reply was yet another growl, muffled by the blanket. Then Lancer tore the blanket all the way off the both of them. This made Akiko open her eyes to slits and glare at the man she was sleeping with. Akiko growled yet again and sat up, stretching both of her arms and yawning loudly. Then she rubbed an eye with the back of one of her hands and turned her head, glancing lazily at her school uniform, folded neatly on the top of the nightstand.

"I'm too tired to get dressed. Cu Chulainn, will you do it for me?"

Lancer breathed a heavy sigh. "Geez, yer so helpless..."

"Not as much as you," Akiko countered, voice slurred from sleep.

Lancer only replied with a pitiful sigh and got to his feet, heading over to the nightstand. He got the school uniform and walked back to Akiko. He looked down at her. "Stand up so I can get yer night gown off."

Akiko groaned as she dramatically tried to get to her feet with great effort. She yawned yet again, her eyes mostly closed, and raised her arms above her head. Then he began to get her school uniform on her body. She wasn't helping Lancer much. He ended up manipulating her limp limbs like a doll.

Then he walked behind his Master as they both left the room, pushing Akiko gently to get her to move forward. When they got into the kitchen, Akiko pretty much dropped herself onto the cushion as Lancer sat down next to her. Rin, Archer, Saber, and Taiga were also sitting at the table. Shirou was behind the counter with Sakura, making breakfast.

Taiga looked at Akiko when she heard the teen let out a loud yawn. "Better get woke up. You have school today."

"Wish we didn't so I can go back to sleep," Akiko grumbled.

Taiga sighed loudly. "Maybe you should get to be earlier so you aren't as tired in the morning."

"Considering the situation last night, I'm surprised they're here," Archer said under his breath.

Once the eight had eaten breakfast, Taiga left for school. Sakura went with her, having archery practice this morning. This left Akiko, Rin, Shirou, Saber, Lancer, and Archer. Saber was behind the counter with Shirou, helping him clean dishes. By now, Akiko was more awake. But not much. She was still complaining that she wants to go back to sleep.

"We should take out Caster first, then worry about Berserker," Rin said. Saber and Shirou were still able to hear her.

"But we don't even know where she is now," Akiko pointed out after yawning.

"She was at Ryuudou Temple last night."

"Do you really think she'd return to it?"

"I do. After all, she did call it her base."

"Fine. We'll go again tonight."

Later, the group of six walked to school. Then, when they got near it, the group became three as the Servants went to the trees to keep watch. When the Masters got to the third floor, the girls broke off from Shirou to go to their own classroom.

"The three of us will meet on the roof at lunch to discuss our plan for defeating Caster," Rin told the male as she and Akiko went into their classroom.

Both went to their respective desks, waiting for the bell for the start of the school day to go off. Ayako walked in, the archery club having just finished. She made Akiko's desk her first stop.

"Hey, Hashomoto!...Hashomoto? Are you okay?" Akiko had just let her head drop into her arms on her desk.

"Yeah," Akiko replied as she lifted her head back up and then yawned. "Just a little tired."

"Stay up late last night?"

"Yeah."

"Well, don't fall asleep during class. or else you'll be hit in the head with a piece of chalk."

"Noted."

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Outside the school, the three Servants were watching the campus from the trees. Lancer was perched on the branch above Archer. The demigod jumped down from his branch to Archer's.

"Listen up, Archer," he started.

Archer sighed. "Ugh, what is it?"

"Judgin' from yer reaction, I assume ya guess what this is about."

"No, I don't know. You just annoy me."

"Hey! That's _my_ line!"

Saber jumped onto the branch the two were on from her position in the next tree. "Calm down, Lancer! Just say what it was you wanted to say."

"Bastard really gets on my nerves..!" Lancer snarled under his breath. "Anyway, Archer, what I wanted to ask is why ya have Caladbolg."

Archer smirked. "This again? It really bothers you that much, huh?"

Lancer narrowed his eyes. "Think what ya want. But I'm not letting this go until you answer me."

"Just tell him, Archer. How hard can it be, anyway?" Saber added.

Archer looked at her. "Once Berserker has been taken care of, we will all be enemies again. I don't think we should be disclosing our secrets."

"I understand, but this is something I really need to know," Lancer said.

Archer breathed a heavy sigh and turned his attention back to Lancer. "...Very well. All I'll say is that it has something to do with magic."

"Then are ya able to reach back in time an' grab a weapon?"

"...Maybe, maybe not."

Lancer was back to being red in the face and totally pissed. "What kinda answer is that, huh?!"

Archer just turned back around, his back facing Lancer. He was back to keeping watch. "I answered your question, didn't I?"

"If ya think ya did, guess again!"

Saber sighed, closing her eyes. "Lancer, just let it go."

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

When the bell for lunch rang, Akiko and Rin got their boxed lunches and walked out of the classroom to eat on the roof. By now, Akiko was more awake. But also in the hall was the teacher, Mr. Kuzuki.

"Tohsaka, Hashomoto. May I speak to both of you privately?" he asked.

"Uh, sure. What about?" Akiko replied.

"Not out here. In here," Mr. Kuzuki said, going to the door of a nearby teachers' lounge and sliding it open. Rin and Akiko, still unsure why the teacher needs to talk to them privately, followed him into the empty room.

When Mr. Kuzuki closed the door, Rin spoke up. "So what's this about?"

Mr. Kuzuki leaned back against a wall and crossed his arms. "I know what the both of you are."

"What do you mean?" Akiko asked.

"I know that both of you are Masters in this Grail War."

Rin and Akiko looked shocked and Rin spoke next. "How do you know about that?!"

"Because I am one as well," Mr. Kuzuki replied. "My Servant, Caster, informed me that Tohsaka is the Master of Archer and that Hashomoto is the Master of Lancer."

Both girls took fighting stances. "So did you get us alone in order to get rid of us?!" Akiko demanded.

Mr. Kuzuki shook his head. "No. It would draw attention if we were to fight now. We'll do it later. Caster has invited you and your Servants to fight her at the abandoned gas station near Ryuudou Temple."

Akiko didn't lower her guard. "Is Caster serious about taking us all on at once?! Does she have something planned?!"

"I am just informing you of what she told me," Mr. Kuzuki said. "What time tonight works?"

Rin and Akiko exchanged glances, unsure of whether or not to go along with this. Then Rin looked back at Mr. Kuzuki. "7."

When the final bell went off, the two girls met Shirou just outside the front doors of the school.

"Hey,where were you two at lunch?" Shirou asked.

"We'll tell you when we're away from the school," Rin answered.

The three began walking to the front of the campus. Then a golf ball came flying through the air out of nowhere and, before she could react, smacked Akiko hard in the side of her head. At the same instant, someone shouted "Fore!"

Akiko was rubbing the side of her head and glaring daggers at the golf team, which was holding practice nearby. The one who was up was Giichi. He was the one that had hit the golf ball into Akiko.

"I swear, never stop looking over your shoulder..." she growled, venom seeping thickly into her voice. Once the three were far enough away from the school, the three Servants joined them. And that's when Rin decided to answer Shirou's question.

She looked at him. "So it turns out that Mr. Kuzuki is a Master. And of Caster, no less."

"What?!" Shirou demanded.

Saber looked confused. "Who's Mr. Kuzuki?"

Akiko glanced back at her over her shoulder. "He's a teacher at Homurahara Academy. Anyway, it seems he was to give us a message to meet him and Caster at the abandoned gas station near Ryuudou Temple for a fight tonight at 7. What do you guys think about it?"

"This totally reeks of a trap," Lancer replied.

"It does to all of us," Akiko told him. "But do all of you think we should go anyway?"

Saber sighed. "We may as well. Even if it's a trap, we may not get another opportunity to know of Caster's location in advance."

Archer put a hand to his chin in thought. "But taking on three Servants at once? If she is plotting a trap, it would have to be a good one for this situation."

Once they got to Shirou's house, everyone except Rin and Archer went to work. Saber had insisted on going with Shirou again to protect him. Work was uneventful for Akiko. Well, if you exclude the "remarks" she got about her uniform.

It was night when Akiko and Lancer got back to the house. Shortly after, Shirou and Saber came in. All were in the kitchen. Sakura and Taiga were also there, but just to eat dinner. Then both would go home, saving the other six from having to come up with an excuse for why they were leaving again. So soon after those two left, the Masters and Servants left the house to meet Caster. Each Servant lifted up their respective Masters and jumped across the top of the red bridge spanning the Mion River. Well, Archer had to carry both Shirou and Rin. He yelled at Lancer to help with carrying the male Master, but Lancer smirked and said he couldn't because his hands were full. He was holding Akiko bridal-style. So Archer growled something under his breath and glared a hole in the back of Lancer's head.

At the abandoned gas station, the two Servants set their Masters down and all six looked around. The area was completely empty, as if the three Servants and Masters were the only ones there.

Akiko, while raising her guard, was flicking her eyes to the left and right quickly. "Where are those two..?"

Saber held her invisible sword up, handle clutched tightly in both hands. "What is going on..?" Then she glanced at the surroundings of the group. "Fog?"

Rin took a couple steps back so that she and Archer were pressing their backs against each other. "Probably a bounded field to keep others out. Keep your guards up!"

Lancer smirked and summoned his lance. "Who do ya think yer talkin' to?"

Archer smirked. "A dumbass?"

Lancer snarled and turned his head to glare at Archer. "Shut the fuck up!"

"Admit it. You walked right into that."

"Cu it ou -!" Akiko started, snapping her head back at the two men. Then she suddenly faced forward again. "Jaecr [1]"

A pure white pointed object, like a spike, formed in Akiko's opened right hand, spike facing forward. The mage grabbed the spike when it fully formed. Then she swung her right arm in front of her body, the point of the sharp object now facing behind her.

Lancer glanced at his Master and blinked in confusion. "Akiko?"

"While you and Archer were fighting, it seems we got company." She lashed her arm back out and released her hold on the spike. The object went flying forward at the fog. But instead of continuing through it like it should have, as soon as it went a little into the fog their was a crash hike hollow stones being broken followed by a sound like beads hitting the floor.

A skeletal creature, but without a head now, fell back and turned into a pile of dust once it hit the ground. It was so obscured by the fog that unless you looked hard enough, it was pretty much invisible.

"A familiar! I can't believe I sensed it before any of you Servants or Tohsaka did," Akiko continued.

Lancer looked embarrassed. He scratched the back of his head. "Sorry...I got too wrapped up in the fight..." Archer also looked embarrassed. He crossed his arms, looked away, and blushed.

Saber also blushed. "I was thinking about how to break up the fight between the two..."

"And Tohsaka? What's your excuse?" Akiko asked, but kept her eyes front.

Rin sweated with embarrassment. "I...was too focused on the fight between Archer and Lancer..."

Akiko let out a heavy sigh. "All of you are pathetic..."

"What about me?!" Shirou demanded.

Akiko looked back. "Huh? What are you talking about?"

"Aren't you gonna ask me why I didn't sense it?!"

Akiko faced forward again. "Oh, that. Well, you're an amateur mage, not nearly skilled enough to sense foreign mana." Shirou opened his mouth to protest, but Akiko spoke up again. "More are coming!"

Just as she spoke, more of the skeleton creatures came running out of the fog at the group, surrounding them. There were a few dozen of those monsters. Each raised the dark purple, rock-like swords they held.

Lancer grinned. "Bring it on!" He held Gae Bolg horizontally over his head to block the downward swing of one of the familiars. When he did, Lancer kicked it back. It wasn't destroyed, but had several cracks in the ribs. It charged at the spearman again.

Saber had just finished slicing two in half before having to jump back a little just as two others swung their swords at her. Then she dashed forward, slicing through them at the same time.

Rin used her Gandr shots to destroy five that came at her. Some came out from behind the ones that were just destroyed. They would reach Rin and cut her down before she had time to fire another. That's when Archer stepped in and helped, his twin swords cutting through the necks of the familiars like butter.

One swung its sword down at Shirou. The boy quickly took a few steps back and the sword smashed into the ground. The boy's back hit Akiko's

"Help me!"

Akiko was using the chain she conjured up to hold several of the monsters. While they were still, Lancer chopped up each enemy. She glanced back at Shirou and sighed. "Saber!"

"I keep trying to reach him, but these things will not stop getting in my way!" Saber grunted as she used her sword to block one of the creatures and then knock it back.

"Jeez!" Akiko muttered. "Lancer! I'm leaving this to you for now!"

"Don't worry, I got this!" he replied. Akiko let go of the chain and it vanished into specks of mana, freeing those it was holding. But at that instant, they were focused on not being chopped to bits by Lancer.

Akiko turned around just as Shirou fell back trying to dodge yet another sword. "Get behind me, Emiya!" Then she glanced at Rin and Archer. "Archer! Can you keep these ones busy while I ready my spell?!"

"A little busy trying to keep my own Master alive!" Archer grunted.

Lancer cut down yet another familiar. "These things aren't givin' me that much trouble, even though I'm fightin' them alone." He quickly shifted over in front of Akiko and Shirou just in time to block a sword.

"Thanks. I'll tell you when to move out of the way," Akiko said. "Wux tepoha xuuta ve."

A ball of bright orange fire with a pale yellow center formed in the palm of Akiko's open palm. It was the size of a basketball and glowed like a sun. The shadows dancing across Akiko's face from the warm light made it seem ominous.

"Coi ui tairais ekess xikin [2]."

The ball of fire slowly expanded. She rose the ball, still levitating a few centimeters off her palm, up above her head. The ball grew more than ten times its original size. When it stopped growing, it lifted off the girl's palm like it weighed nothing and hovered there. The mini sun was blinding to look at directly.

"Now Lancer!"

Lancer jumped back, going beside Shirou as the attack came. Her raised arm came down and she pointed at the monsters in front of her. The ball of fire over her head trembled as it contracted and expanded swiftly, like it was about to burst. It did, in fact. A flash of yellow light came from the ball and it vanished. In its places were dozens of smaller balls of fire, each like a miniature copy of the large one. Then they came down. Like fireworks.

It was like a meteor shower. As each ball rained down on the familiars, they left an orange tail of light as they all fell in an arc, each one like a miniature comet. They came down in a semi-circle in front of Akiko. Each ball of fire smashed into the skeleton-like creatures, caving in their bodies and engulfing the shattered bones in a blaze as the familiars were hit. Each of them was reduced to dust as the barrage of fire wiped them out.

"Such a valiant effort," a voice said. "But..!"

Several more of the familiars came out of the fog and at the group.

"Caster!" Lancer shouted. "Where are ya hidin'?!"

"Can't sense her location, huh?" Akiko asked.

"This bounded field seems to be messing with our ability to sense Servants," Saber said as she knocked back two familiars.

"Her plan must be to have us use up all of our mana," Archer added. "That way, when we're exhausted, she'll be able to easily wipe us out."

"Yes and no," Caster said. "I plan to have you exhaust yourselves, but I have something special planned for the Servants."

"Like what!?" Akiko demanded.

"You will find out soon enough."

Rin began shooting down more of the creatures that came at her. "We can't keep this up for long! We need to take down Caster!"

"But we don't even know where she is!" Shirou pointed out.

"I have a feeling she's somewhere nearby," Rin replied.

Meanwhile, Caster chuckled and pulled out a zig-zagged dagger. Soon, even the Servants would be exhausted. And then she could use the dagger. Her Noble Phantasm, Rule Breaker. By using it on the three Servants, she would make them her own pawns.

Out of the corner of her eye, Akiko spotted a glint of moonlight from one of the trees. "Lancer! There!"

"Way ahead of ya!" Lancer jumped at the tree. "Time fer ya to come out, Caster!" He swung the tip of his lance down and easily sliced off the tree branch Caster was assumed to be on.

The familiars crumbled into a pile of dust on the ground. At the same time, a figure floated above the tree.

Lancer grinned. "Found ya!"

* * *

 **[1] Jaecr = Stab**

 **[2] Wux tepoha xuuta ve = You have wronged me.**

 **Coi ui tairais ekess xikin = It is time to pay.**

 **I kinda half-assed this one because I really want to get this story finished.**


	16. Day 10 II

**Sorry for the wait. I had writer's block again, so I was using most of that time to work on the new story I'm working on. Here's a little tidbit about it.**

 **It is the Fifth War, yet a little like stay night.**

 **It has multiple points of view.**

 **There was going to be a lemon between Saber and Shirou in this, but after a couple of months of being stuck on it I was like "Fuck it!" and replaced it.**

 **Btw, don't you all hate it when your creativity for a story is gone and you have to wait for it to come back again?**

* * *

The one in the air chuckled. "So you have found me."

"Yeah," Lancer replied with a smirk. "After all, yer no Assassin."

"I do not wish to be compared to that dog."

"A dog, huh?" Lancer said with a growl. "That's how ya think of the guy that served you?"

"What I call him should be none of your concern."

"Well, it's enough reason to kill ya!"

[Breach]

Lancer threw his spear up at Caster. She materialized a large shield in front of her body to block it. When it hit, it only left a few cracks in the shield before it stopped completely and began to fall. But Lancer had jumped at the shield. He grabbed the spear in his right hand before it began to fall and shifted his momentum up over the obstacle.

He grinned at Caster. "Surprise!" Then he swung his spear down at the top of her head. She quickly held her staff up, the shaft of the crimson spear meeting the staff's. But the power in it threw Caster down onto the road, Lancer still in the air. Her body made a crater in the pavement.

Lancer was right over Caster. He came down hard, his spear below him in a stabbing position. Caster got up and slid back just in time. She held out her right hand and four small magic circles appeared around it. All of them each fired a beam of magic at Lancer. At the same time, he was running at her, grinning like a hunter about to kill its prey. The beams bounced off a transparent dome around Lancer, leaving the man completely unscathed. It didn't stop his charge at the enemy.

"Magic resistance?!" Caster exclaimed. "It seems I must use stronger spells."

Lancer was right in front Caster now. He swung his spear sideways. Caster jumped diagonally to Lancer's right, over the tip of the crimson weapon. The "wings" came out and the enemy Servant was flying. The sharp tip ended up cutting the pole of a street lamp like butter and it fell onto the road with a loud clang.

At the same time, Rin was looking around, as if expecting to see someone. "I don't see Mr. Kuzuki anywhere..."

Beams of magic were raining down from the magic circles to the blue Servant. He kept moving swiftly to each side to avoid the attacks. "Are you talking about Master?" Caster asked without letting up the onslaught. "He stayed behind. I do not need him to risk his life fighting all of you. Besides, I will be able to win even alone."

"Don't get cocky!" Archer growled. He jumped up at Caster, both of his swords raised over his head to slash down at the witch. One magic circle let up its attack and repositioned itself. It was now pointed at the red-clad Servant. It fired a beam of magic. Archer lowered his swords in front of his face, where the beam was aiming, and crossed the blades in an X. The beam hit the blades, but was blocked by the weapons. The magic sprayed out around Archer. It looked like water shot from a hose was hitting a wall.

However, while all of Caster's attention was focused on the man cutting his way through her attack, she didn't see Lancer jump back, landing right next to his Master. Saber ran forward, taking Lancer's place as the one attacking Caster. She ran up the trunk of the tree behind the cloaked woman, leaves floating down gently to the ground as the knight's armored feet met each branch.

"Caster!" she shouted when she reached the very top of the tree. Still not letting up on her attack at Archer, Caster looked over her left shoulder. Saber had sprung out at the witch, invisible sword at her side and gripped in both hands. Then she moved the sword up over her head of golden hair, the weapon in a position to slash down. "Prepare!"

"Tsk!" Caster spat then turned to her right. Her right arm came out and the silver staff materialized in her hand. She held it up horizontally with both hands just in time to block Saber's strike. But the power in the swing pushed the enemy Servant down. Just as her feet were about to touch the ground, she managed to use her staff to push the opposing blade off it and the woman moved far back. Archer landed next to Saber. The attack he was busy defending against had at last ceased. Both of the sword-wielding Servants were facing Caster. Then the woman glanced at Akiko and saw that her Servant was no longer at her side.

"Hi!" came a voice above the witch. Lancer was now coming down on her, tip of his spear aimed at her head.

"Dammit!" she spat and held her staff horizontally over her head with both hands. The crimson tip clanged against the silver shaft. Caster grit her teeth as her feet were forced deeper into the ground, the earth cracking even more than it already was. She then slid back, allowing the staff to be forced down. At the same time, she released her grip with her right hand on it and a weapon materialized in her palm. It was a zig-zagged dagger.

"Lancer!" Akiko shouted. "I sense something evil from that dagger! Fall back before you find out what it does!"

"Tch!" Lancer grunted through grit teeth, frustrated that he needed to move back. But Akiko was right. He was indeed also sensing something ominous coming from that weapon. He pulled his own spear back. Right then, Caster stabbed the dagger forward at the man. In the blink of an eye, Lancer had held his lance so the tip was pointing upward and the tip of the opposing blade clanged against the sharp point.

"I've got you now!" Archer roared, leaping over Lancer. A large magic circle appeared over Caster's head and a violet beam shot out at the red-clad Servant. Archer tried to shift in midair to dodge the attack, but he was barely fast enough. The red cloth over his right bicep was torn off. He winced slightly as his unhealed wound from Gae Bolg bled anew, but that didn't stop his attack. Kanshou was swung down and cut Caster's left shoulder deeply, making a wide splatter of scarlet come up from the injury. Caster screamed loudly and jumped back. Her shoulders were hunched and she seemed to be glaring daggers at the Servant who just wounded her. On her shoulder, a blue line of mana filled the cut as it closed.

Then Lancer launched forward at the witch. Caster only had enough time to block the downward swing of the spear with her strange dagger. As Lancer was working to overpower the woman, four magic circles, two on each side, appeared around the enemy. Lancer broke off right as the beams of mana fired at him and he jumped back, landing beside Archer and Saber.

Archer only glanced at the spearman out of the corner of his eye. "Why won't you use your Noble Phantasm? If her Luck isn't high enough, the fight will be over in an instant."

"Heh, too easy. I wanna have some fun."

Saber sighed. "You are an adult right? So stop acting like a kid and use it."

Archer sighed as well. "This guy's too thick-skulled to listen." He raised both swords slightly. "I guess we'll have to settle this the old-fashioned way."

"I wouldn't be callin' others thick-skulled, ya stubborn bastard!" Lancer snapped back.

"At least his bite is as bad as his bark," Archer admitted.

Caster growled under her breath. If she could stab just one of these Servants with Rule Breaker, she could make it 2 vs. 2.

[End OST]

[Sword of Promised Victory]

"If Lancer won't use his Noble Phantasm, then it seems I have no choice but to end this in one blow before one of us gets stabbed with that dagger and find out what it does," Saber said.

The wind around her invisible sword broke away, revealing the weapon that the Servant was holding. The sword's blade was glowing with a golden light. Saber held the blade upward with both hands, over her head. Specks of golden mana rose up from the ground, going into the golden blade which was steadily glowing brighter. The fighting had completely paused now. Caster wasn't moving. She was too awestruck by the object glowing like a ray from the sun. Lancer and Archer, their backs to Saber, were perplexed as to why Caster stopped.

"Archer, Lancer! Please get behind me!" Saber shouted.

Both men glanced at her. "Huh?" However, as soon as they saw the flare in Saber's hands, they knew she was getting ready to attack. They did as they were told, jumping back behind the knight.

"Ex..." Saber spoke as she took one step forward in the direction of Caster. A veil of golden mana shot up out of the ground around Sa - no, everybody figured out her true name, just by looking at the golden sword. She was King Arthur. "...Calibur!"

A beam of golden energy went right for Caster as soon as Saber swung the sword down, tearing up the earth as it passed over it. Caster could sense that it's power was even stronger than Caladbolg's. And the strongest shield she could conjure up couldn't even stop that weapon. So Caster simply accepted her fate, not even bothering to try and save her own life. _'I'm sorry, Souichirou. My Master...my love...'_ were Caster's thoughts as gold filled her vision, she felt hot, and then everything went black. The others, who had an arm covering their eyes to shield them from the harsh light, lowered them when the attack faded.

[End OST]

"Is it...Is it over..?" Rin asked tentatively.

Lancer whistled. "Shit! I would hate to be on the business end of _that_ attack!"

"I do not sense Caster anymore," Archer said. "She must have been eliminated."

"Good job, Saber!" Shirou cheered. However, Saber didn't say anything. She didn't even glance over her shoulder to look back at him. "Saber?"

Excalibur vanished from Saber's hands in a cloud of blue mana and she fell forward onto the ground. The others immediately ran over to her. The King of Knights was panting hard, her face covered in sweat. Her armor vanished and modern clothes took their place.

"What's wrong with her?!" Shirou demanded. "Saber! Hey, Saber! Wake up!"

Lancer and Archer were staring at the fallen Servant with narrowed eyes.

"Lancer? You thinking what I'm thinking?" Archer asked the spearman, not looking up.

"Yeah," Lancer replied, his tone serious.

Shirou was looking at them with panic in his eyes. "What?! What are you two talking about?!"

Archer and Lancer looked up at their respective Masters. "She used too much mana," Lancer explained.

"And as a result, her spiritual core is cracked," Archer continued. "If something isn't done soon, it'll break completely."

"Then we have to hurry back to Emiya's place," Rin said. "One of you men needs to carry her there."

"I got it!" Shirou exclaimed. He carefully gathered the fallen king in his arms and lifted her bridal-style. He face looked like Lancer's when he was low on mana. "Wait, can't we head to the ley line and have her recover there? After all, it's closer."

Rin shook her head. "A good idea if Saber simply needed to replenish mana, but it won't help her spiritual core."

"Ya sure you can handle carryin' her all the way to yer house by yerself?" Lancer asked as a whirlwind of mana around his body changed his battle attire to his modern clothes. Archer stayed silent as he did the same to what he was wearing.

"I'll be fine," Shirou replied. "After all, I carried her after our fight with Berserker at the school."

"Yeah, but now it's for a longer time. I can help out."

"Don't worry about me."

Lancer sighed. "Fine. Suit yerself."

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

 **Interlude**

Meanwhile, Mr. Kuzuki was heading to Ryuudou Temple from the school. He was almost to the walkway under the large, red bridge spanning the Mion River. But then he noticed that something was off.

[Whirlpool of Fate 2]

 _'Wait. Where is everyone else?'_

All was silent around the man. No people were walking by him and no cars were in sight.

 _'Is this...a bounded field?'_

"_!"

Mr. Kuzuki quickly looked over his shoulder, his face betraying him by showing surprise. "What?!"

Something large landed on the ground behind the man, cracking the sidewalk. It was too dark for Mr. Kuzuki to make out any features on this monstrosity, but he could make out two glowing, yellow eyes boring into his form. He could hear faint snarling coming from this...thing.

"What are you?!" Mr. Kuzuki demanded, holding both fists up.

The snarling turned into a chuckle. The next thing that happened surprised Mr. Kuzuki. The thing actually spoke!

"You are not a mage. However, I do know that you have a Servant. Or rather, had one. But her magic is still running through you. So you will make a satisfying meal."

"A meal?! So you must be the killer!" Mr. Kuzuki shouted. He launched his right fist out in a punched for the thing's face. The two stars vanished and Mr. Kuzuki's fist collided with something hard. It felt as if he had just punched a wall made of diamond.

Suddenly, it felt like the wall slid to the side and the two stars reappeared. The face lunged forward and the entire right arm vanished, leaving only the shoulder out. Mr. Kuzuki suddenly shouted in pain and backed up. All that remained of his right arm now was blood coming out hard from the teacher's shoulder.

The thing chuckled as it chewed, enjoying the sweet taste of blood and the crunch of bones and tendons. Now, it wanted more.

The man knew he had no chance of winning. Gripping his bleeding shoulder, Mr. Kuzuki tried to run for the bridge's walkway. The thing chuckled again. It loved when its prey tried to prolong its inevitable death.

Mr. Kuzuki was just about to step onto the walkway when the thing landed in front of the teacher, cutting off his escape route. "Oh no! You're not getting away! Mr. Kuzuki took a step back and the thing took a step forward. The man was staring right into the face of death. "Die!"

The thing's mouth opened and began crunching on the teacher, leaving only his blood behind.

[End OST]

 **Interlude out**

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Eventually, the six reached Shirou's house. They did pass the blood near the bridge, but it was too dark to see it. The lights in the house were off, meaning that Taiga or Sakura weren't back yet.

"Fuji-nee told me this morning that the archery club has a meet today, so they won't be back for a little less than an hour, giving us time to do anything relating to magic," Shirou told Rin. The group went into his room. He released Saber and she sat down on the futon, intending to rest her body.

"To do the mana transfer on her, you'll need to do what Hashomoto and Lancer did. In other words, you need to have sex with Saber," Rin told Shirou. But she said it casually, like the subject was perfectly normal.

Shirou looked at Saber on the futon. She was sitting on her knees. Like what she was currently doing, Shirou began blushing madly and sweating heavily. "Umm...is this...is this really necessary..?"

Akiko was also blushing, looking totally embarrassed. "Oh boy..." Archer didn't say anything. He was just crossing his arms. But he was also blushing. Lancer turned around, facing the door. He sighed but wasn't blushing.

"I'd rather fuck someone instead of watchin' another do it instead of me."

Akiko faced the door with him, face still red. "S-Since you're leaving the room...I'll join you!"

Then Archer broke his silence. "Count me in."

Lancer had one hand hugging Akiko at his side and he put his other hand on the door's handle. "Akiko can stay in the same room as me...but go to another one, Archer!"

Archer huffed in amusement, but didn't say anything back. If he did, it would just start yet another fight between the two male Servants.

When the three left, Rin went down to her knees in front of Saber. She tugged off the Servant's shirt, bra, skirt and white panties. "You need to do this, Emiya." She stood up. "Saber's spiritual core is breaking from having used her Noble Phantasm with insufficient mana from you. If it breaks completely, she won't be able to hold in her mana anymore. If that happens, she'll vanish in mere seconds, given how low on mana she is."

"So how do I fix it?" Shirou asked.

Rin glanced at Saber. "Not only will you have to resupply her with mana, but you'll also need to transfer your magic circuits to her so the spiritual core will be fixed."

"I refuse to allow Shirou to do that for my sake!" Saber shouted. "I will accept vanishing instead!"

"What's wrong with me transferring magic circuits to you?" Shirou asked his Servant.

"If you do that, you will lose your ability to reach your greatest potential in magic," Saber informed him. "You'll forever be flawed as a mage, which could be fatal."

"I should be fine, but..." Shirou looked at Rin. "Why does magical energy need to be transferred in this way?!"

"The other option is to let her suck your blood. But there are two problems with it. One: depending on where she bites you, you could bleed out. And two: you can't transfer magic circuits that way. Just relax. Mages give samples of their genital secretions all the time." She turned her attention back to Saber and tugged out the blue ribbon holding the knight's hair in a bun. The hair unraveled as the golden strands cascaded over her shoulders. "Here. This will make it more comfortable to lay down."

"If those weirdos are fine with it, whatever! But I'm not comfortable with this!"

"Oh, shut up and be a man already!" Rin snapped as she glared at Shirou.

"To-Tohsaka!" Shirou shouted. Saber didn't say anything and her blush spread to her ears.

"Suck it up, or Saber goes bye-bye!"

"That isn't helping!"

"Too bad!" Rin said as she grabbed Saber's shoulders and pulled down the knight so that she was laying on her back. Then she grabbed Shirou's forearms and pulled the teen so that he was on his hands and knees over Saber. Then Rin released Shirou and stood up. "Well, have fun you two," she said as she went out of the room and closed the door behind her. The mage sat down at the kitchen table, where the other three were.

[Madder Red Town]

"Now that Caster's gone, we need to come up with a plan for dealing with Berserker," she said.

Lancer crossed his arms and huffed in frustration. "Our best option would be to have Saber use her Noble Phantasm on the beast, leavin' not even a scrap of flesh that he can regenerate from. But if she uses it, she'll wind up powerless again."

"Actually, worse," Archer pointed out. "Just using it the first time this War cracked her spiritual core. If she uses her Noble Phantasm again, the core might shatter."

"Hopefully, we won't have to resort to that option," Akiko said. "At a full tank of mana, she should be strong enough to handle Berserker with us. And she should have a full tank, provided that Emiya actually _does_ the mana transfer."

Archer crossed his arms. "Why is every Servant in this alliance getting laid except me..?" he muttered with a light blush on his cheeks.

Lancer decided to be a dick once again to Archer and rub it in. He leaned over to Akiko and licked the edge of her right ear. "Let's go into our room and do it." He rubbed her inner thigh with one hand.

"The last thing we'll need is Ms. Fujimura coming here for dinner," Akiko growled, shuddering at the sudden sensation of Lancer's tongue. "She'll go into our room looking for us and see you nailing me!"

Lancer nibbled on the shell of Akiko's ear now. "We don't have to do it in our room. We can do it elsewhere."

"Where do you suggest?"

"We could do it in Shirou's room.

"WHAT?!"

Lancer grinned. "We could show Saber and the lad what to do."

"Absolutely not! Let's keep us getting intimate _private_."

[End OST]

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 **Interlude**

The archery club had returned to the school. The entire team was standing at the entrance to the campus, chatting amongst themselves about their win.

"_!"

"What in the world was that?" Ayako asked, looking around for the source of the howl. Then she faced Taiga. "Holy crap!"

[Midnight Interval]

"What?" Taiga asked, seeing Ayako take a step back. Then she looked behind herself as well. Suddenly, Taiga was face-to-face with some large...thing! She jumped back in fright. It was too dark to make out what it was. "Who-Who are you?!"

"I am only here for one person. However, let's make this fun," it said. "Why don't you humans do what your instincts tell you: run and scream." But the archery club didn't move or make a single peep. They were too scared to move. The thing grunted in frustration. "Very well. It seems that you all need some...incentive."

Something large and sharp came down. A knife? One student, a freshman, was its target. The blade came down on top of the person's head and ran them through completely, cutting them in half. The body quivered for a moment before sliding apart into two halves as it hit the ground. Several students threw up before screaming along with the rest of the club. In order to save themselves, they all ran away from the killer. It chuckled at seeing the team's fright. Something large hanging down behind it swung back and forth in glee. Perhaps a tail?

[End OST]

One archery club member ran into an alleyway, trying to lose the thing. She was dismayed to see a dead end. Although the though sickened her, maybe she would get lucky and the thing would go after the other students.

"Sakura Matou!"

[Nightmare]

Sakura turned in fear to the entrance of the alley at hearing her name. She recognized that voice too!

"I've got you away from any witnesses." The thing was lumbering over to Sakura. The alley was wide enough for its large body to get through. It was close enough to Sakura now that she could smell its breath. It smelled like rotting flesh and blood!

Sakura gulped, fearing for her own life. A life that was most likely going to end soon. "Pl-Please don't kill me..!"

The thing chuckled. "I'm not going to kill you." Sakura released the breath she was holding in with momentary relief. "I just need you to come with me."

Sakura's fright came back. "Wh-Why..?"

The thing grinned, though it was hidden by the lack of moonlight. "You'll see." It took a step towards Sakura.

"I won't let you!"

[End OST]

The churring of insects erupted. The thing was surprised. "What?!"

The surroundings of both were filled with insects, some flying and some crawling on the ground. Several insects formed a pile next to Sakura. The insects broke away from the pile to reveal a bald, elderly man.

Large things sticking up from the thing's back - maybe wings? - slammed several insects into the walls, crushing them. "Old man, you don't really believe you can stop me, do you?"

The old man grinned. "No, of course not. I just came to collect my granddaughter." Insects enveloped both the man and the girl and burst, both humans having vanished. No, the old man wasn't entirely human. Something about him seemed off, the thing surmised as it crushed a few of the insects as they were starting to thin out.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Inside the Matou estate, several insects piled together, forming Sakura and her grandfather.

Sakura looked shyly down at the floor. "Thank you for saving me, Grand -" She was cut off as the back of one of the old man's hand connected with her cheek, knocking her to the ground.

"Shut up, girl!" the old man hissed. "I only rescued you because I need you to bear a child strong enough to win the Sixth Holy Grail War, and I won't let anyone take you before then!" He grumbled as he walked away. "Useless girl, getting yourself into that kind of mess..!"

 **Interlude out**

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	17. Day 11

**Along with this story, I have been working on another. Like I've said, I'll be posting it after I'm done with this story. I'm trying to work hard on it, but I don't know if it'll turn out as well as I hope it will. Here's some previews for each Master-Servant pair in it. They will be like the character trailers for Fate/Zero. I'll post one each chapter, going up to chapter 23. To be honest, I know I should have started on chapter 19, but the idea came to me when I was going to sleep, and I want to get it out of my system before I forget.**

 **Altera: "My original name was Altera."**

 **Servant: Saber**

 **Master: Hisao Matsuda**

 **Hisao: "You're a person, not a machine!"**

 **Altera: "I will kill you."**

* * *

The next morning, when Akiko and Lancer entered the kitchen to eat breakfast, the Master noticed that everyone was already there. However, they weren't dressed for school. Taiga and Sakura were missing.

"Where's Ms. Fujimura and Sakura?" Akiko asked, looking around the room for the two. "They also weren't here last night for dinner."

Shirou shook his head. "I don't know either. But this may have something to do with it. I just checked the phone an hour ago. There was a saved voice message. From the school. School is cancelled today and tomorrow."

"But why?" Akiko asked as she and Lancer sat down at the table across from Shirou, Saber, and Archer. "We didn't get a notice beforehand and it didn't snow hard."

"They didn't give a reason for cancelling school," Shirou explained. "I tried calling the Fujimura group to ask Fuji-nee if she knew the reason, but the guy who picked up told me she was too upset to talk to anyone."

"We also tried calling Sakura to find out why she didn't show up here last night, but the phone went to voicemail," Rin added. "I have a feeling that something strange happened last night."

"They were going to be late because of an archery meet last night, right?" Akiko said. "Maybe something major happened to them. I'll call Mitsuzuri."

Akiko got up, Lancer silently watching her. He hadn't given his input on what he thought of this situation. The Master rushed to her room and quickly got her cell phone. She found Ayako in her contacts list and dialed for her. Several rings were heard and Akiko thought at first Ayako wasn't going to pick up and all she would get was the voicemail. Then she heard the sound of the other end of the line being picked up.

"Hello? Mitsuzuri? Are you -"

"Hashomoto?! Is that you?! Please help! I'm so scared!"

[Whirlpool of Fate 2]

"Mitsuzuri?! Calm down and tell me what happened!"

"I told my parents, but they don't believe me! They say it was just a wild animal, but I know what I saw! Please, Hashomoto! You have to believe me!"

"Hold up! What are you talking about?!"

"A big...thing! And it killed someone in the club! You need to help me! I don't know what to do!"

"Are you sure you didn't just imagine it?"

"You sound like everyone else I talked to! You really don't believe your own friend!"

"It's not like that!" Suddenly all Akiko got was the dialtone. "Mitsuzuri?! Mitsuzuri, are you there?!"

"What's goin' on?"

[End OST]

Akiko looked over her shoulder and saw Lancer leaning back against the doorframe. Akiko closed her phone and put it away.

"Something happened last night to the archery team. Something that scared Mitsuzuri shitless. She thinks I don't believe her so she hung up."

"Figured somethin' like that. The other two Master-Servant pairs are going to investigate the school fer clues as to what happened. We should go as well."

"Fine." Akiko stood up. "Getting some answers may help me be able to calm Mitsuzuri down."

Akiko grabbed something quick to eat from the kitchen and went out the front door with Lancer. Shirou had made sandwiches for them, and left a slice for Akiko. It was early in the morning, so only a few other people were on the sidewalk. The leafless tree branches were swaying in the wind.

"I hope to God we don't run into the killer at the school," Akiko said once she and Lancer were out of earshot from anyone else. "After all, Tohsaka thinks it's a Servant."

"Even if we do, it'll be fightin' three other Servants."

"But will that even be enough? We've encountered every other Servant in this War, so it's most likely not one. It might not be a Servant, but something else entirely. And just as dangerous. We'll be in for a world of hurt if it's as strong as Berserker."

"Let's try not to think 'bout somethin' like that..."

"It seems we meet again, mongrels."

[Into the Night]

The two froze in their tracks at the voice and looked back at once. Standing on the sidewalk behind them was a man with blonde hair and eyes just like Lancer's. Actually, now that Akiko thought about it, she had seen this man before. He was the same one from the cafe that day. She looked around wildly. This man was a Servant. So a fight breaking out was very likely. But luckily, the sidewalk was free of witnesses.

This man gave off a different air than when Akiko last saw him, in the cafe. It was heavier now, more foreboding. It made Akiko think she was going to die fighting against him. Even with Lancer at her side. The power coming from the man that Akiko was sensing is crazy. The way he was standing showed that he was confident in his own fighting ability. This man would kill her Servant no problem.

The man grinned, though not in an amused way. The smile suggested that he was thinking of something devious.

"We wouldn't want mongrels interrupting us." He raised his left hand and snapped his fingers. "Lowly beings do not have a right to gaze upon my glory. And that includes you filthy animals."

The scenery didn't change. However, a chill went up Akiko's spine. What did he just do?! "Did you activate a bounded field?!" Akiko demanded.

The man's smirk didn't drop. "It was something I set up before we met." His gaze switched to Lancer. "So he is Ireland's so-called 'Child of Light'."

"How do you know Lancer's true name?!"

The man didn't bother to glance back at Akiko. "My Master. I'll admit that he is pretty knowledgeable. Now, Servant. You may be a demigod, but that doesn't change the fact that you are still a mere guard dog."

"Did you just call me a dog?!" Lancer shouted, switching from his modern clothes to his battle attire. He made Gae Bolg materialize in his right hand. He twirled the spear before squatting into an attacking position, grasping the weapon in both hands, the tip pointing to the enemy. "I won't let you get away so easily fer that..."

"Lancer, calm down!" Akiko ordered him. Then she glared at the opposing Servant. "And who the hell are you?! We've already encountered every other Servant!"

"How is it that you cannot tell who I am just by witnessing my magnificence?!" the man growled.

"Oh, stop bein' a prick an' just tell us who ya are!" Lancer shouted.

"You dare to speak to me in that manner?!" the enemy snarled. "You need to learn how to show respect, dog!"

[End OST]

(The Golden King)

Before Lancer could do anything else, a golden portal appeared beside the man. A blade came out of the middle of it. Then once the middle of the stain-free steel appeared, the entire sword shot forward at blinding speeds, going right for Lancer. It pierced the man right below his right knee, making him back up a step. He was gritting his teeth as the sword in him vanished into flecks of golden mana, allowing his blood to flow out of the wound freely.

"Lancer!" Akiko exclaimed, rushing over to the wounded Servant. She went down onto her knees and placed both hands on the injury. Green light came from her palms and the bleeding slowly stopped. "You have the skill Protection Against Arrows. Even though the weapon was a sword, it was still a projectile. Why didn't your skill stop it?"

"It was a Noble Phantasm," Lancer answered. "Thus, it was too strong for the skill to stop - Watch out!" the man suddenly shouted. He shoved Akiko back with his right hand, stopping the healing spell. The bleeding had been slowed to a trickle. At the same time he pushed Akiko, Lancer jumped to his left. Three swords that shot at Akiko's head ended up hitting the ground. But instead of simply vanishing, they blew up.

The two looked back at the opposing man. Three of those golden portals were around him. The man was smirking, like a cat who had just cornered a mouse.

"I suppose you mongrels should at least know the name of the person who will end your lives. My name is Gilgamesh. But I hardly need to put any effort into exterminating flies. My Gates of Babylon will be enough for that. So rejoice in the fact that I will deign to go easy on you."

Lancer took off at blinding speeds at the Servant. Weapons of all shapes and sizes were fired at the spearman, but he weaved all over, barely avoiding them. One came at his face just as he weaved out of the way of an incoming spear. Thinking quick, he jumped straight up and the incoming weapon hit the ground where he just was.

"I'll take yer head!" Lancer shouted, spinning his spear and then holding it in a stabbing position with both hands. He was coming down at an angle, the tip of his spear going for Gilgamesh's head.

Gilgamesh chuckled. "Do not get overconfident, dog." Then several Gates appeared over Gilgamesh, all angled at Lancer. A dozen weapons flew at the warrior. The man quickly switched his attack to defense and spun his spear quickly in front of his body, knocking away the weapons that were coming at him.

When Lancer's feet hit the ground, he was right behind Gilgamesh, their backs facing each other. Lancer spun around, stabbing his spear forward. Gilgamesh also spun around to face Lancer, holding a sword in one hand and using it to block. Then a rain of weapons came down at Lancer, making him take a massive leap back to avoid them.

"Did you really think you would be able to put a scratch on me?" the enemy chuckled darkly. A dome of golden portals appeared around Lancer. "Now die!"

All that could be seen were bolts of golden light coming from the Gates at Lancer, then dust coming from where the knight is an instant later. The impact of the weapons hitting the ground was so great that the cloud of dust expanded, going up into the sky higher than the tops of the trees.

Lancer came flying out of the cloud of dust. He had jumped to his right as soon as the weapons were fired. But he didn't come out unscathed. Cuts littered his body and a long slice went all the way down his upper left arm. He ignored the pain and continued his advance.

As soon as one foot hit the ground, he sprang forward at Gilgamesh, stabbing forward with Gae Bolg in his right hand. A Gate appeared next to Gilgamesh and the blade of an ax came out, blocking the strike. But as soon as the spear hit, Lancer pulled it back and vanished, running too fast to see. He appeared an instant later behind Gilgamesh, stabbing again. Gilgamesh's eyes widened in surprise. He started having to look over his shoulder for Lancer to reappear. Several Gates outlined the king, sword blades sticking out of each and taking Lancer's next attack. When Lancer vanished and then appeared again, striking at the other Servant, the same defense happened. His attacks were fast. Lancer's form would appear for just a fraction of a second as he struck before vanishing again. The strikes also didn't have much power put into them. They were for determining a weak point in Gilgamesh's defense. Lancer wanted to conserve as much energy as possible so he could go all-out on the weak point.

Clang clang clang clang clang clang!

A melody of metal hitting metal rang out. The king's surprise was gone, only to be replaced with annoyance. He growled, red eyes darting around as they struggled to keep up with the blue Servant. He was able to see Lancer right before the Servant attacked, because the man would halt for a second. This allowed for Gilgamesh to react quick enough to make the Gates defend against the assault. This man was being exactly like a fly. Though most don't harm you, their buzzing is annoying. And they never go away on their own. And just like a fly, this man needed to be caught and have his wings plucked off before being flattened by a swatter.

Steel showered Gilgamesh as the blades of three swords shattered when they tried to block a pretty powerful attack. Then he thrust his hand out at Lancer and two Gates appeared, two spears being fired at Lancer. But the man seemed to vanish again and the spears ended up hitting empty ground.

Lancer reappeared beside Gilgamesh, swinging his spear sideways at the man's neck. "Now ya die!" The spear ended up being blocked by a silver chain that also had a golden glow to it. Lancer's surprise at the chain's sudden appearance only lasted for an instant, but that was all the time that was needed. A Gate showed up behind Lancer and a spike with another chain on it came out. The chain wrapped around Lancer's wrist.

Before he could be restrained further, he attempted to run. However, when he yanked the chain, the loops of silver didn't separate like Lancer expected. It stayed in place and Lancer ended up dislocating his left shoulder.

"Gh!" he grunted at the sudden, sharp pain followed by a throbbing ache. More chains came out, wrapping around Lancer's other wrist, around his shins and ankles, two around his torso, and one around his neck. The golden light coming from the metal snakes illuminated the captive and made truly look like a Child of Light.

"To force me to bind you with Enkidu, you seem to be worthy of some of my attention, dog." Several Gates appeared, all pointing at Lancer. "Now die, mongrel!"

Akiko quickly thrust her palm out, it pointing at Gilgamesh. "Suaco ekess tir mojka mrith malsvir [1]!"

Harsh wind assaulted Gilgamesh, slicing his clothes. He shielded his face with both arm, turning his attention away from Lancer for a moment. And this also weakened the chains' hold on him. He was able to rip his right arm, his torso, and both of his legs free. Then he used Gae Bolg to cut the chains around his torso and his left arm. He jumped to Akiko's side, his left arm hanging limply at his side. At the same time, weapons fired from the Gates, hitting the ground where Lancer just was. The broken chains that held the Servant dangled onto the ground before vanishing into a dust of golden mana.

A haliberd flew out at Lancer as he was trying to get away. The man spun around and knocked the weapon away with Gae Bolg, all in one motion.

A sword had been launched right behind the haliberd, so Lancer didn't see it until it was too late. The blade plunged into Lancer's right shoulder, punching easily through the armor. The man was knocked to the pavement on his back.

Akiko bit her lower lip. Lancer was taking too much damage. And his left arm was useless. At this rate, this golden Servant would kill the knight. "Lancer! Retreat for now!"

Lancer grit his teeth as he stood. The sword was still lodged in his shoulder, going through it all the way. Then the weapon vanished into golden mana like the others. Blood was flowing out of the wound like water coming out of a leaky faucet. "I'm not about to chicken out of this fight!"

Gilgamesh laughed, still having his arms crossed. "I have to say I applaud your effort despite the odds you are facing, dog! But I am afraid to tell you that it will all be for nothing in the end. You _will_ die if you continue to stand against me!" To prove his point, a sword shot out and impaled Lancer through his right thigh, making him fall down onto that knee.

Lancer spat. It was supposed to say 'you think I really give a shit?', but he ended up spitting a glob of blood. So much pain radiated from each of his wounds, but he did his best to ignore it. "So what? Even if ya kill me, my corpse will still come after you, seeking yer throat!"

Gilgamesh barked a single laugh. "Such arrogance coming from a lowly dog! It looks as if you need to be taught to sit and be silent!"

"Arrogance?! _Yer_ one to talk!"

Akiko bit her lower lip harder, drawing blood. If Lancer wasn't going to fall back willingly, the Master would just have to force him. She lifted her right hand in front of her body, back of it facing up. Her two Command Seals began glowing.

"By my Command Seal, Lancer, retreat!"

The left "wing" faded. All that was left was the hollow, red diamond. Lancer's body began trembling, trying to resist the order. Gae Bolg vanished from his right hand in a dust of blue mana.

"I'm...not...gonna...back down..!" he ground out. But, against his will, he jumped back several times, going into the cover of the trees on either side of the road. Going as fast as she could, Akiko ran after him. But Gilgamesh didn't move a muscle. The Gates of Babylon shrunk and vanished. Gilgamesh smirked.

"It seems that mongrel that is the dog's Master has some sense about when it is time to abandon the fight. But as long as I am alive, I am certain we will encounter each other again. If that happens, I will make sure the dog draws his last breath before he retreats again."

(End OST)

Lancer and Akiko were hiding behind a tree and panting. Akiko caught her breath and spoke first.

"Hey, how are you holding up now?"

"I'll be fine," Lancer replied. Then he tried to stand up. However, he grunted in pain and fell back down. "Dammit!"

"Is something wrong?!" Akiko demanded.

"I was able to run from Gilgamesh because yer Command Seal forced me to, despite my condition. It also kept me from feeling any pain from my injuries. However, now that it's worn off, I can feel major pain in my right leg when I try to stand. I think he severely damaged my soleus."

Akiko just blinked in confusion. "...What?"

Lancer groaned, but in pain. "My calf. It'll hurt too much fer me to walk until it's healed." He pointed to his right thigh. "It's one of the places where one of the swords hit me." He glanced at Akiko. "My left arm's dislocated. I was originally going to hit my arm against a tree to pop it back into place, but I need to do it while on my feet to brace myself. If my body heals with my arm still out of its socket, then I can't fix it on my own. Can you do it for me?"

Akiko hesitated. She didn't want to cause more pain for Lancer. However, if she didn't do this, his pain would be long-term. She sighed and went down on her knees next to the man. She gripped his left arm with her left hand and her right hand was braced on top of his left shoulder. "Do I need to push up or pull down?"

Lancer grit his teeth, bracing himself for the pain that was soon to come. "Push up."

"Don't cry out too loudly. Gilgamesh may still be nearby, and we don't want him finding us again."

"I know," Lancer replied stiffly. "Just hurry up and get it over with!"

"Here I go..." Akiko warned the Servant before using all the strength she could muster to get the left arm back into place. A muted scream was heard from Lancer's mouth. The man was biting his lower lip to keep himself as quiet as possible. He was biting the flesh so hard that it began to bleed.

After what felt like hours to him, but was probably seconds in reality, a sickening click sounded from Lancer's left shoulder. Akiko let go of the man and leaned back, using the back of her left hand to wipe away the sweat forming on her forehead. Lancer moaned, his right hand rubbing the joining between his left shoulder and arm tenderly.

"What the hell was that Servant doing?!" Akiko panted. She was keeping a lookout to see if the man was coming after them. So far, there was no sign of him. "Why did he just now show himself?!"

"He sure did pick an unusual time to have his first fight. But he's not comin' after us, right?"

"No."

"That's seems odd. If he was truly intent on winnin', he would've followed us to finish the job."

"Was he judging our strength?"

"I dunno. But it did feel like he was playin' with me."

"He could be warming up."

"But fer what?"

Akiko turned her head to look at Lancer. "We think the killer is akin to a Servant, right? Maybe he's also chasing after it and wants to be ready to face an unknown enemy. However, if that's the case, we should work together."

"To put it bluntly, I would rather die than work with _him_. 'sides, do ya really think he would be the type to work with others?"

"...You have a point. Anyway, we should head to the school and tell the others about this."

 **Interlude**

Police tape was covering the front gates to the school. All was silent around the two humans and the two Servants with them. Only the chirping of birds broke the still air.

"It's faint, but I do sense mana here. Most likely, it was from a Servant," Saber said as the group stopped right in front of the yellow barrier.

"I do as well," Archer added. "But we know it's not one of us in the Three Great Knight Classes, and we all doubt Berserker is responsible, so who could it be?"

Rin put a fist to her chin, thinking. "...Maybe the culprit's not a Servant, but one _similar_ to one."

"Is that possible?" Shirou asked.

"I don't know of any previous recorded cases of a phenomena like this, but there's a first time for everything."

"An anomaly might have occurred during the process of the Grail summoning the Heroic Spirits," Saber put in.

Shirou was looking around at the school past the tape. "Where should we begin looking?"

"I'm not sure," Rin admitted. "I guess we'll have to do a thorough sweep of the entire place."

Almost as if on a silent cue, Archer stepped forward. Yin-blade Kanshou appeared in his left hand. Rin stepped back as Archer raised his left arm over his head. He brought his arm down on the middle of the criss-crossing yellow strips. The blade cut the tape effortlessly. Both free ends of the tape fluttered down, hanging down from their attachment to the gate and resting against the metal. Kanshou vanished, it's role fulfilled.

"Wait, won't we get in trouble for this?!" Shirou demanded.

Rin closed her eyes and sighed, her hands placed on her hips. "There aren't any cameras or witnesses around us to expose us for being the ones doing this. We should be fine." Then Rin opened her eyes, turning her head and glaring at Shirou. "But if you blabbing about this to anyone, then we _will_ be in trouble!"

Shirou held his hands up, palms out, in front of his chest. "Hey, I wasn't planning on doing anything like that!"

Rin huffed and sharply turned her head away, looking again at the gate. "You'd better not!"

Saber stepped forward. "If we did get in trouble, wouldn't it just be Archer? After all, he is the one allowing you to do the trespassing?"

"No, we're all accomplices. So if one of us gets caught, we're all going down together," Rin replied.

"Wait!"

Shirou felt the blood drain from his face. "Shit! We got caught!"

Rin glanced back over her shoulder at the voice. "Oh, cool your jets. It's just Hashomoto."

[Footsteps of Destruction]

Shirou followed Rin's gaze. He felt a wave of relief wash over him that it wasn't some random person who just spotted them. Saber stiffened next to him. Something was wrong. Hashomoto was helping Lancer walk and Lancer was injured! The man had changed into his modern clothes so he wouldn't stand out, but red stains still made their marks on his clothes.

"What the -" Saber murmured.

"What happened?!" Rin demanded.

"It was a Servant. But not one we've seen before."

"An eighth Servant?! But there shouldn't be eight!"

"Then explain what it was that did this to Lancer!"

Akiko's sudden hostility made Rin take a step back. Her eyes were wide and her hands were out in front of her chest. She was pushing her hands out and then pulling them back in, as if she was signalling to Akiko to back off. "Sorry, sorry! Yeesh! I was only stating a fact!"

Saber glanced down the road Akiko and Lancer had come from. "I do not sense or see an enemy coming after you two.

The class called Archer could see things very far away, almost like having a telescope on their face. This allowed the Servant in red to gaze down the road, but to see much further than Saber could. "I don't see anything either. Whatever it was, you two seem to have lost it."

"We've seen that Servant before, at the cafe where Lancer and I work," Akiko added.

Rin had an "I can't believe you!" look on her face directed at the other female mage. "Why didn't you say anything sooner?!"

"We hadn't seen all of this War's Servants at the time, so I thought he was one of the seven. When it became clear that he wasn't, I had already forgotten all about him."

Rin let out a long sigh. "Don't let my opinion of you drop as low as what I think of Emiya...We'd better let Kirei know about the Servant."

[End OST]

"If we're going to New City, can one of you boys help Lancer walk?" Akiko asked.

The one who was stuck assisting Lancer was Archer. Neither were happy at the idea of them being stuck together for probably hours. However, helping walk Lancer to the school after the fight tired Akiko out. She wouldn't be able to handle helping the man walk all the way to the Church.

"Damn, why do I have to assist _you_..?" Archer grumbled.

Lancer huffed. "Trust me, I didn't make this choice. I hate it as much as you."

The only other option was Shirou. But when Archer tried to pass the job off to him, Saber protested like she had a stick up her ass. Clearly she still isn't over the whole "Lancer nearly killing Shirou twice" thing.

 **Interlude out**

After about an hour of walking (plus Archer and Lancer complaining non-stop), the group finally came to the large iron gates at the top of the hill in front of the Church.

As Rin pushed one of the doors of the gate open, Shirou spoke up. "Do you think Kotomine will be fine with us barging into the Church unannounced?"

"I don't give a shit whether he has a problem with us coming in. Besides, we didn't exactly give Kirei a heads up that I'd be showing up with you that morning," Rin grunted as she got the door all the way open. "You Servants will have to stay out here according to the rules."

"We know the drill," Saber replied as the other two humans entered the Church yard, the door to the gate closing behind them.

[Church on the Hill]

In the Church, even though light was pouring through the windows, it felt as if there was a chill in the air that made Akiko and Rin shiver. At the end of the room was a man reading the Bible. His hair was brown and slightly long, to his shoulders. He wore a long, dark-blue robe over black clothing. Around his neck was a necklace with a golden cross. His back was to the three.

Akiko remembered meeting this "priest" right after her Command Seals appeared. However, she felt uneasy during her entire meeting with him and she didn't know why. The same feeling was creeping back, and they haven't even begun talking to him yet.

"Ah, Rin. It looks as though you and Emiya have returned," Kirei said, turning around to face the Masters. "And we have not spoken for quite some time, Hashomoto.."

"Enough with the pleasantries, Kotomine," Akiko said. "We have some news to tell you."

"News? And what would that be?"

"It seems there's an eighth Servant," Rin said.

Kirei didn't look at all shocked at this news. He just continued to stand in front of the three with his hands joined behind his back. "An eighth? That should be impossible, as there are supposed to be only seven Servants total."

"I know, but it's true," Akiko told him. "Lancer and I fought him. We came here to see if you know something about this."

Kirei smirked. "I do not. If I did, I would have informed the remaining Masters."

"So you really don't know anything? Even though you're the Overseer?" Rin spoke up. "You don't know of any error or loophole in the Grail system this time around?"

Kirei looked at her. "No. As far as I am aware, everything is functioning as it should in this War."

Rin and Akiko exchanged looks with each other. Something's wrong here. They know for a fact something strange is going on in Fuyuki. But Kirei, the Overseer, says nothing out of the ordinary is going on in the War. Does he in fact know what Rin and Akiko are saying and he's just not telling them?

Shirou, not sharing the girls' suspicions, spoke next. "Well, tell us if you get any new information on this."

Kirei's smirk didn't drop. "Of course."

[End OST]

The questions stopped there, though Rin and Akiko had more questions than answers. Still, they followed Shirou out of the Church. Since Rin was the one who pushed open the gate, it was now Akiko's turn. She grunted as she pulled the door towards her and then held it open as Shirou and Rin went through thee opening. Once they were out, Akiko followed them out onto the hill, sliding the metal door shut behind her.

"Well? What did he say?" Saber prompted as she and Archer, still helping Lancer, began walking away from the Church with the Masters.

"He said he doesn't know any more than we do," Shirou replied.

"How can he be clueless?! He's the _Overseer_!" Lancer shouted.

"My ear is _right next_ to your mouth, moron!" Archer growled.

"How many fucks do you honestly think I give?"

Akiko pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. "Ugh, they're starting to give me a headache!"

Saber closed her eyes. "Same here. Would you two stop your fighting?!"

Saber's tone meant that she was honestly ready to behead the two just to get some peace and quiet. "Sorry..." Lancer and Archer mumbled, almost too quiet to be heard.

"...I think Kirei's hiding something," Rin said after a moment of silence.

"Yeah. I think so, too," Akiko replied.

Shirou cocked his head in confusion. "He is? But why would he?"

"I got a bad vibe coming from him after he said he doesn't know anything," Akiko told him. "It felt like he got concerned for a moment after we mentioned the eighth Servant. What about you, Tohsaka?"

"I just never trusted him," Rin put in. "That smile of his always gives me the feeling that he's hiding something."

 **Interlude**

(Church on the Hill)

Now that the three Masters were gone, the Church was empty with the exception of Kirei. Or was it?

"Gilgamesh, they are gone. You can come out now," he said without turning his head.

A man with blonde hair came through the door leading to the courtyard. It was the same man Akiko and Lancer fought. "I was not able to suppress my mana at an Assassin's level of ability, but it seemed to be enough to avoid detection by ordinary humans. It's a good thing they didn't suspect you of harboring me," Gilgamesh said, glancing at Kirei as he spoke. He seemed to be in a completely relaxed state, as if he and Kirei were working together and thus there was no need for Gilgamesh to be on guard around him.

"No, the girls probably do suspect me," Kirei replied. "But they don't have enough evidence to prove it."

Gilgamesh chuckled. "Well, if they did, then this situation would have turned ugly."

Kirei glanced at the Servant out of the corner of his eyes. "Why did you reveal yourself to them?"

Gilgamesh leaned back against a pillar and his arm were crossed in front of his chest. His eyes were closed and he was smirking. "No reason. I was just bored so I wanted to pick a fight with one of the Servants that survived this long."

Kirei narrowed his eyes slightly. "I do not think that you should be so casual, Gilgamesh. If something had gone wrong, then the Masters and Servants could have found out that I am harboring you."

Gilgamesh opened one crimson eye to glare at Kirei. "You forget your place, mongrel. Regardless of our connection to each other, you do not order a king."

Kirei smirked, looking forward again and closing his eyes. "At ease, My King. I was not giving you an order. Merely advice for the future."

Gilgamesh closed his eye again. "Very well. I shall overlook your disrespect." He opened both of his eyes and looked straight ahead with a serious expression. "That aside, what are your plans for dealing with the 'other issue'?"

Kirei glanced at him. "Oh, the one killing the mages of this city. Well, if you must know, I'm waiting for the remaining four Servants and Masters to sort out and deal with the issue first."

"But will that be enough, I wonder. We are aware that the Masters of the Three Great Knight Classes are working together, but this is an unknown enemy. Its strength may surpass their's. If they teamed up with Berserker and his Master, then they may stand a fighting chance."

Kirei smirked. "Are you concerned for them?"

Gilgamesh bared his teeth. "Fool!" he hissed. "I am not expressing concern for those mongrels! I am only stating my own thoughts!"

Kirei sighed. "Of course, King of Heroes. Please forgive my words."

"You are fortunate that I am in a good mood. I shall be lenient."

"Thank you. If I may ask, would you be willing to lend your aid to the other Masters if and when they confront the mystery foe?"

Gilgamesh let out a long sigh, as if thinking it over carefully. "...They are not even worthy of gazing upon my marvelous figure. But when the time comes, I may change my mind."

(End OST)

 **Interlude out**

* * *

 **[1] Wind to do away with evil**


	18. Day 12

**Cu Chulainn: "By Lugh, yer demandin'!"**

 **Servant: Caster**

 **Master: Rin Tohsaka**

 **Rin: "Are you referring to my personality?!"**

 **Cu Chulainn: "Welp, yer name won't matter once yer dead."**

* * *

Well, they found out last night why Taiga wasn't coming over. Shirou found out she was too scared to leave the house while he was talking to the Fujimura Group over the phone. It was still unclear as to why Sakura wasn't coming over, but the reason was probably the same.

Blood was found yesterday near the bridge over the Mion River. Through DNA tests, it was discovered to belong to Mr. Kuzuki, who hadn't returned to Ryuudou Temple. The teacher was labeled as missing, but there are no clues to his whereabouts. The investigators won't declare him dead, as Mr. Kuzuki could still turn up.

"It must be the work of the killer," Rin said. She and the other Masters and Servants were sitting around the kitchen table. Lancer had healed enough to where he could walk on his own, though it was with a limp.

Saber was sipping from her mug of tea and spoke up. "Shall we investigate the crime scene to make certain of that?"

Rin shook her head. "We shouldn't waste our time. All the clues point to the person we're trying to stop."

Akiko was looking down, staring at her own tea, watching the light from the room dance all over the surface. "There aren't very many mages left in the city, and no partnerless Masters either. Who do you think will be the next victim?" She looked up. "Whatever it is, it may soon get desperate enough to attack Masters who still have their Servant."

"I dunno who'd be next," Rin admitted. "Illya would be my first guess, but she still has Berserker. And I have a feeling Berserker's the type of Servant to beat to death anyone who tries to harm Illya."

"What about one of us?" Shirou asked.

"Unlikely. It might be wary of attacking a group of Masters."

"So what's our plan then?" Akiko asked. "Are we still going to try fighting Berserker again? Or are we going to try finding and taking down the killer?"

Rin huffed in frustration and stood up. "Ugh, I don't know, okay?!"

Akiko narrowed her eyes. "Hey, I only asked a simple question. You don't need to get all hostile with me."

Rin sighed again and slapped a hand to her forehead. "Yeah, yeah. Sorry for snapping." She put her hand down. "I'm going to go out for a bit to clear my head. Archer, I want you to accompany me in case I get attacked."

"What about the rest of us?" Saber piped up.

Rin had already gone to the door to the hallway and slid it open. Archer had gotten up and was right beside her. Rin glanced over her shoulder back at Saber. "Do whatever. We won't be doing anything major until we've all discussed it together." With that, she and Archer went through the door and Rin closed it behind them.

[Time Together]

Shirou turned his head to look at Saber. "Wanna come with me into town?"

Saber looked at him in surprise. "Hmm? What for?"

Shirou nervously averted his eyes and scratched his head with one finger. "Um, no-no reason. I just thought that this would be a g-great chance for us to spend some time together. Y'know see some places here, try new things -"

Akiko took a drink from her tea. "In other words, he's asking you out on a date, Saber."

Shirou's head snapped around, him looking at the other Master with wide eyes. His blush stretched from his cheeks to his ears. "Hashomoto, I never said date!"

Lancer had the elbow of his right arm on the table with his forearm sticking straight up. His chin was resting in the palm of his right hand. The Servant was smirking. "Don't try to deny it. Are ya gonna buy her lunch? If so, ya shoulda done that 'fore ya nailed her into the wall."

Saber ignored Lancer's "nailed her into the wall" comment and instead focused on the lunch part of what he said. "Shirou, can we get lunch at 'The Bridge Outlook'? I hear they're having an all-you-can-eat special!"

Shirou pulled his wallet out of the back pocket of his pants. He opened it up and sighed. "I have just enough I think...Fine."

A large smile broke out across Saber's face and she threw her arms around Shirou's neck. "Shirou, I love you so much!"

Akiko spoke up. "Well, while you two are on a date, Lancer and I will be going out on one too."

Lancer snapped his head around to stare at Akiko with disbelief. "Wait, what?!"

"You heard me. We've fucked twice and still haven't gone out on a real date." She stood up. "Come on. I'll be the one showing you around." She grabbed Lancer's wrist and yanked him to his feet. "Let's go already!"

"He-Hey! I didn't agree to this!"

"Oh, quit being a baby!" Akiko retorted as she dragged the man out of the kitchen and to their room so Akiko could get her small purse with her checkbook and money. She opened it up and counted the money inside.

"Good. There should be enough for everything I have planned."

Lancer used his free hand to scratch the back of his head. "What _do ya_ have planned?"

"You'll see. Now let's go." Akiko dragged Lancer to the front door. Shirou and Saber were just about to head out themselves, Shirou having already slid the door open.

"Oh, you're leaving now?" Shirou said.

"Yeah," Akiko replied. "We'll be back just in time to get ready for work."

[End OST]

[Tender Scenery]

Once they left the house, Akiko made their first stop be the Miyama side of the Mion River, next to the bridge over it. Akiko felt the breeze blowing through her hair, a warm sign of the coming spring. They decided to sit down side-by-side on a light brown, wooden bench. The arms of the bench, the legs, and the framing on the back were all black metal bars.

Akiko sighed, closing her eyes and leaning her head to her left, resting it on Lancer's right shoulder. All that was left from it dislocating yesterday was a large bruise, but Akiko using healing magic on it got rid of any pain radiating from the injury. Lancer looked at her, a warm smile on his face. "Hey, hey! Don't go to sleep now."

"I'm not going to sleep," his Master replied. She slowly opened her eyes, gazing out at the calm river in front of them, the surface calm with the exception of bumps on the surface from small waves. "I'm just getting comfortable."

Lancer let out a low chuckle. "What am I to ya, a pillow?"

Akiko closed her eyes again. "Sure. But this one won't keep quiet."

Lancer chuckled again. "Well, yer 'pillow' wants to get comfortable fer a long stay, too. Let's change our location."

Akiko opened her eyes again and lifted her head up off Lancer's shoulder so she could turn her head to face him. "Hm? What are you talking about?"

Lancer looked behind them and pointed to where he was looking with his left index finger. "How 'bout there?"

Akiko followed Lancer's gaze to see where he was referring to. The spearman was pointing to a patch of grass on a small hill. At the top was a leafless tree. Despite it not having any leaves, it still provided a decent amount of shade for the circle of grass around where its roots dug into the earth. "Fine. We'll go there," Akiko replied. As Lancer sat up, Akiko reached her arms far out to either side of her body in a stretch. Though she hadn't been sitting long, she got so relaxed on Lancer that her joints settled. So some of her bones gave a quiet "pop!" as they were forced to wake up again.

Once she was done stretching out her arms, she pulled them back to either side of her hips and rolled her neck. A rather loud "pop!" resounded. Lancer blinked at her several times. "That was a loud one!"

"Whatevs." Akiko propped her palms on the seat of the bench and stood up. This gave her a chance to bend backward, loosening her spine. "'K, I'm good now." She and her Servant went over to the spot Lancer pointed out and laid down on their backs near the base of the tree. They were laying side-by-side, Akiko laying to Lancer's left. Lancer rolled on top of Akiko, planting a kiss on her lips.

Akiko yawned lightly. "Roll onto your back again." Lancer did what he was told and the Master rested the side of her head on Lancer's left shoulder, a little on his chest. "Ah, this feels nice."

Lancer chuckled, Akiko hearing and feeling his chest rumble. "Comfy?"

"Very." Akiko replied as she shirted her eyes, looking up. While she was gazing up at the clear, blue sky, she saw a bird flying through it. She asked a question that suddenly popped into her head, not even turning her face to look at Lancer.

"Tell me. Why do you think that birds fly [1]?"

Lancer glanced at her. "What brought this up?"

"I dunno. It's just a question that popped into my head." She sat up. "Forget I asked it. Let's just go." Why did she ask that? Was it in regards to her life choices? Her past? Her wish? Or perhaps all three?

"Ooookay? Wait, we're goin' already?"

"I have another place in mind for us to visit."

Akiko got up and walked away from the tree. Lancer stood up and followed her, the two leaving the bridge behind. The next place Akiko led Lancer to was the Fuyuki Zoo.

Lancer looked up at the large arch over his head, the entrance. He had his hands stuffed in the pockets of his pants. "A zoo? Accordin' to knowledge I got from the Grail, a zoo has animals in it, right?"

"That's right," Akiko replied. "That's why I thought you'd like this place."

Lancer sighed, his eyes closed and his head hanging down. "Let's get one thing clear. I am a _man_! Not a dog and definitely not some other animal."

"I know that."

Lancer opened one eye, it locked on Akiko. "Aren't ya tryin' to inply somethin' 'bout me by bringin' me here?"

"No! I just wanted to let you see the animals!"

Lancer sighed again and lifted his head back up. "Okay, if that's yer only reason..."

"It is. Don't you trust me?" The Master sounded a little sad when she said that.

Lancer tried to cheer her up by beaming a smile to her. "Of course I do! Now let's go in!"

The two walked over to the admission booth. After Akiko paid for both her and Lancer, the two went in. The first thing they saw was the building with the gift shop. "I'll get you something when we're done looking around," Akiko said to her Servant.

As the two looked at the first animals, the elephants, Lancer spoke up. "It doesn't seem right to me, seeing these animals in cages."

"You're right," Akiko replied. "But this way, these animals are kept safe from both predators and poachers, and they are being taken care of really well. Besides, some of these animals aren't flourishing in the wild as well as they should. For some, being kept in a zoo is their only means of survival."

Lancer sighed, "Man, humans have found great ways to fuck up the planet..." He looked back up at the elephants. "But I'm glad to see that some are working to undo the mess bein' caused." He glanced at Akiko. "Uh...forget what I just said. Let's see the next enclosure."

After seeing several other animals, the two came to a fenced enclosure.

"What's in here?" Lancer asked. He got his answer a moment later as a wolf pup dashed over to the side of the fence that several people were gathered by. It had dark brown fur. The fur was still fluffy, meaning that the pup wasn't that old yet. A distance away, the wolf parents were keeping a close eye on the pup.

"Aww! It's _so_ cute!" Akiko cooed, crouching don onto her heels, gazing at the pup with absolute adoration in her eyes. "I had heard the wolf pup was now old enough to go exploring and we'd finally get to see it! I just want to scoop it up and snuggle with it all day long!"

Lancer placed a hand to his chin, smirking. "Oh, so _that's_ what you really like."

"I'm a _girl_ , so of course I love this little cutie."

"What 'bout me?"

Akiko stood up straight and looked at Lancer. "I though you hated being identified as _that_."

"Normally, yes. But I'll make an exception this time."

"Well, since you asked, no you're not cute like a puppy," Akiko replied. Lancer momentarily looked disappointed, that is until Akiko continued. She leaned over to his ear so she could whisper into it. "If you were cute like a puppy, I'd baby you. Not fuck you." She moved back. "We should move on before this coversation gets more graphic and someone hears us."

After seeing dozens of other types of animals, Akiko and Lancer found themselves back at the front of the zoo, having gone all the way around it. As promised, Akiko led Lancer into the gift shop.

"Get anything you want from here," Akiko told Lancer. But as she looked around at the gift shop's inventory, she realized it was mostly stuffed animals and things meant for little kids. No way Lancer would want any of that. But maybe he would want a bag of candy, to see what sweets in the modern era taste like. They were walking from one end of the shop to the other, Akiko giving Lancer a chance to see what was available for purchase. He walked right behind her, keeping the pace of his steps even with her's.

Once they passed a shelf of stuffed animals, Lancer stopped. Akiko, noticing the man behind her halting, stood still as well. She looked back over her shoulder. "Lancer, what's wrong?"

Lancer wasn't meeting her eyes. His attention was elsewhere, the Servant trying to look disinterested. Akiko followed his gaze...to a wolf doll!

 _'Oh. My. God...'_ Akiko thought initially. Then her face heated up. Was she blushing? She shook her head. _'I'm probably imagining that he wants that doll. It might have just gotten his attention is all.'_ But then she went back to what her first thoughts were when Lancer walked over to the shelf with the doll, staring down at it. He was still trying to look disinterested, but his facade was slipping. He picked the doll up and looked it all over. "Umm, Lancer..?"

"What about getting this one?"

That was it. Now Akiko's head was filled with her imagining Lancer playing around with the doll, talking to it, and snuggling up in the futon with it. And those images are what _destroyed_ Akiko's mind.

Lancer glanced back at his Master. She was opening and closing her mouth like a fish, eyes wide and mouthing "oh my god!" over and over. "Is something wrong. Accordin' to the tag, the money from purchasin' this will go to preserving the wildlife."

Akiko looked to have just been slapped back into reality. "Y-Yeah...Protecting the wildlife...Sure, I'll buy it for that reason..."

Lancer looked slightly mad. "Is there somethin' wrong with me wantin' this?!"

"N-No! I just thought...a grown man wouldn't have any interest in such things, much less someone like you..!"

"Hey, this animal happens to be one that can tear out yer throat!"

"Nothing wrong with it. I did say I'd buy you whatever you wanted from the store." She took the doll from Lancer to pay for it so she wouldn't get as weird of a look from the cashier. The doll was a fluffy, light-grey wolf and its black marble-like eyes were staring at Akiko.

When the doll was being paid for, the cashier didn't say anything. But the entire time, she was shooting quick glances at Akiko and Lancer. The two weren't exactly speaking quietly. The cashier put the doll in a plastic shopping bag and handed the bag to Akiko. "Have a nice day!"

Akiko could tell the woman was trying her hardest not to burst out laughing. To be honest, Akiko was trying not to as well. "Thank you! Have a nice day as well!" she said back to the cashier with a smile.

She went over to Lancer. "Let's leave now."

"Why? I wanna see what else is available."

"I wanna go before things get even _more_ awkward."

"Why would things be awkward now?"

Akiko didn't reply, just grabbed Lancer's wrist with the hand not holding the bag and pulled him out of the gift shop exit out of the zoo. It was past noon now, and Akiko was getting hungry. "Let's stop somewhere and get something to eat."

They ended up stopping at a fast-food place. Akiko had a burger, fries, and a bottle of water. Lancer had breaded chicken, was sharing Akiko's fries, and also got a bottle of water, unsure if any other drinks in the modern era would taste any good to him. The two sat at a small table across from each other in the place.

As soon as Akiko grabbed a fry, Lancer leaned over and enveloped the piece of food and the tips of Akiko's fingers in his mouth

"The hell?! I was gonna eat that!" Akiko protested. Lancer didn't say anything back right away, just licked Akiko's fingers clean of salt.

He grinned. "I thought we were gonna split the fries."

"We are, but I didn't say you could eat all my food!"

"It was just one fry!" he countered.

"I bet if it was a hotdog, you wouldn't _think_ of touching it..."

"Will ya leave me alone with that?!"

"Perhaps when I can stop thinking back to it and wanting to laugh at you."

Afterward, Lancer took every chance that presented itself to steal bites of food from Akiko and annoy her. He did enjoy seeing her face turn red as she got worked up. Her cheeks would puff out, which the Servant found to be adorable. Once they were done eating, both of them went back to Shirou's house. Akiko planned to put the bag containing the doll in her and Lancer's room. When she entered the room, she set the bag down on the futon and went to find her duffel bag. When she did, she pulled a black bikini out of it.

When she turned around to exit the room, she spotted Lancer at the futon. He had pulled the plushie out of the bag and was murmuring something to it. Akiko couldn't make out the words, but judging by Lancer's happy face, it was probably something cutsie.

Akiko just stared at him with a blank expression. "Y'know, my impression of you that I got from Bazett is slowly being shattered..."

"Hmm?" Lancer sat the doll back down on the futon. "Is there somethin' wrong with this?"

Akiko sighed. "Not really, taking into consideration that you're not from this era, but still," she picked up the doll and placed it in her duffel bag, out of sight from anyone except those really looking in the room, "I recommend that you play with the doll out of sight from anyone except me."

"Why?"

"Trust me, just do what I say." With that, Akiko left the room. Lancer scratched the back of his head, trying to come up with an answer as to why he shouldn't play with the plushie with others around. He eventually gave up trying to come up with an answer - it was hurting his head - and followed Akiko. She went into the bathroom. It still smelled of oils and soaps from the bath being used last night.

Akiko opened up a closet with a sliding bamboo door. "Y'know, you haven't really used the bath, have you?"

"No. The mana expelled from us changin' clothes removes any dirt that may have clung to us. An' since our bodies don't react to temperature changes, we don't sweat heavily," Lancer replied matter-of-factually.

Akiko pulled out two towels and slid the door to the closet shut. "But it still _feels_ good. Plus, despite you combing your hair every day, it's getting more and more knotted. One of these days, I'll wash your hair and get it soft again."

"You said 'one of these days'. So why are we in the bathroom now if not to bathe?"

"I've got one more place planned to take you to," Akiko replied. "I planned on going to the pool during this War, so I packed my bikini. But we're going to have to make a stop at the store to buy you swim trunks."

"So we're goin' to the pool next?"

"Hm? I there something wrong with that? Can you not swim?"

"No, I can swim just fine. It's just...I've never been to a public pool before."

Akiko started to head out of the bathroom with the towels. "I know that. I'm trying to let you experience as much of this city as you can before the War's done."

She led Lancer to the commercial district to buy a pair of swim trunks for the man at a store. Then she led him to a nearby indoor pool. After Akiko payed the fee for both of them, the two went into separate locker rooms to get changed.

"You can dematerialize your clothes and put on the swim trunks in the men's locker room," Akiko had told Lancer before she payed for them to get in. "And don't follow me into the women's locker room. That's a good way for you to get slapped, punched in the face, and/or kicked in the nuts."

"Yeah, yeah. I know what to do. You don't have to treat me like a little kid."

"Well, ever since the hotdog thing, I'm not always 100% sure what common sense the Grail implanted in you."

Once Akiko was done changing into her bikini, she walked out of the locker room into the room with the pool, holding both towels in one arm. She saw that Lancer was already done changing. He was standing at the edge of the pool, looking into the crystal-clear water. His hair was out of its confines, the long, blue stands trailing down the man's back and he wore only his yellow-and-orange swim trunks. Akiko went over to the Servant's left side and glanced at him. "Aren't you gonna get in?"

"Soon I will," Lancer replied, only glancing at her.

Akiko's eyes flicked to the water and back to Lancer. An idea that Lancer won't like formed in her head. She took a step back.

"I'll get our towels laid out."

"Fine."

However, instead of doing what she said she would, Akiko raised both hands to her chest, palms out and ready to shove. She was standing right behind her Servant's turned back. Lancer didn't turn around and see what Akiko was up to. Or maybe he did know, but wasn't doing anything to stop his Master.

Akiko's hands sprung out, her palms flattening on the skin of Lancer's back when her arms were half-extended. She completed her shoving of her Servant and the man was left flailing his arms out as the surface of the water came closer and closer to his face.

"What the fu -?!" He didn't get to finish his sentence as his body made contact with the water. Water splashed onto Akiko as the spearman's full weight went onto the water. But she didn't care. Lancer, who had submerged completely underwater, had his head come up out to the water first, then his chest down to the top of his stomach. His eyes were screwed shut and he spat out a mouthful of water.

Akiko giggled and crouched down by the edge. She was sitting back on her heels with her knees bent and the palms of her hands resting on her knees. She was staring at Lancer with a large grin on her face. "How's the water?"

Lancer pushed a soggy clump of blue hair sticking to his face back, glaring at the mage. "What was that for?!"

"Oh, come on! You have to admit you were asking for it by standing near the water! I couldn't _not_ take advantage of the perfect opportunity to do that!"

Lancer didn't reply. He just looked totally angry at himself for letting his guard down like that.

"Aw, what's wrong? Still angry? I still can't believe that worked! How distracted were you that I was able to do that to you?"

"Hardy har har," Lancer said, not sharing his Master's amusement _at all_. He was near where Akiko was crouching. All he had to do was move forward one step and he was face-to-face with her. "Let's see how _you_ like it!"

"What the -?!" Akiko exclaimed as Lancer's hands shot out of the water and his finger closed around both of her wrists. "What are you -?!"

She was interrupted as Lancer yanked her wrists and Akiko went face-first into the water. Her nose stung as water rushed into her nostrals. Her face broke through the surface of the water less than a second after she had been pulled in, spitting out water and gasping for air.

Now it was Lancer's turn to bark out laughing. "Revenge!"

Akiko had caught her breath at this point. The top of the water was lapping at the bottom of the top half of her bikini. Clumps of hair clung to her face, making her look like the girl from _The Ring_. She fixed her smoldering glare on Lancer, staying silent as he continued to laugh heartily. She was about to lash out at Lancer for this. The water was _cold_ since her body hadn't gotten used to it yet. Goosebumps covered both her arms and her legs. Lancer most likely felt the cold from the water, too, but his body wasn't reacting to it.

Then she sighed. Now that she thought about it, she _did_ deserve it. "Fine, fine. Get it all out."

The two ended up spending several hours in the pool. By the time they dried themselves off and changed, it was already time to go to work.

"We'd better get to the cafe before Mr. Igarashi loses it on us for being late," Akiko said. She glanced at Lancer, who was behind her. "Did you enjoy yourself today?"

"Sure did," the man replied, following close behind Akiko. Even though night had not yet fallen, it was close enough that there was a good chance for his Master to be attacked.

"Good."

[End OST]

The two went to work and made it back to the house without any incident. The other two pairs were already in the house and hanging around by the T.V. Rin looked back first to see Akiko and Lancer. "About time you two came back. How was your date?"

Akiko was silent for a moment. How did Rin know about that? Then it dawned on her that Shirou must have told her. "Fine. So do you have a plan for what we should do next?"

"Um, while you two are chatting, I need to check up on _something_ in our room," Lancer said, quickly backing out of the kitchen. Akiko figured Lancer means that he wants to see if the plushie was still where it was left, or if Archer had snuck into their room, found it, and decided to hide it in order to tease the spearman.

"Don't take too long. Dinner will be ready soon," Shirou shouted after him. He was behind the counter, cooking something to eat. Rin stood up and walked over to Akiko.

"I can't believe you took Lancer out on a date," Rin whispered in the mage's ear. "But I guess it _does_ make sense. At first, I honestly didn't see why you would be attracted to him. I mean, yeah he's good-looking, but he's a creep. However, I eventually got to know the side of him you see. Like you, he does whatever the hell he wants regardless of the wishes of others. And no matter how much the odds seem to be against him, he doesn't give up. And you really admire that about him, don't you?"

Akiko blushed and was about to protest. But Rin did have a point. She found it hot when Lancer would continue fighting, despite being pushed into a corner. And it was also hot of him to take an attack meant for the Master.

"Don't try to read into what I'm feeling," Akiko replied. "Anyway, you didn't answer my question. What's our plan?"

"I'll tell you guys when we eat."

About 10 minutes later, dinner was served. By then, Lancer had already returned.

[Midnight Interval]

Rin spoke up first, breaking the silence that had been created. "It seems we should worry about taking this mysterious killer first before we can worry about Berserker."

"Yeah, but the bigger question is _where_ we can find it," Akiko pointed out. "It's not like we have any leads."

"We know it targets mages, right?"

"Well, we _did_. But I have a feeling Mitsuzuri was talking about the killer. And if she was, attacking the archery club breaks its pattern of only going after mages," Akiko pointed out. Rin stayed silent, but it went unnoticed by everyone else.

"Maybe it did that to throw us off," Saber suggested.

"Yeah, but if that's what it was aiming for, the victims would have been a mix of mages and normal humans," Akiko said. "Could it have been after something?"

"But what?" Saber asked. "As you pointed out, there were no mages in the archery club. What could it have gained by attacking them?"

Archer put a hand to his chin, thinking. "Perhaps there was in fact a mage in the archery club, but we don't know who that person is yet. After all, five Masters are from the same school."

Akiko glanced at Shirou. "You used to be in the archery club. Do you know of any people you suspect of being a mage?"

"How would I know that? Do mages have any defining traits?"

"Yes. Most mages carry the scent of blood on them. Do you recall anyone fitting that description?"

"No," Shirou replied. "But then again, I didn't pay close attention to anyone's scent. And new people have joined the club after I left."

[End OST]

"Perhaps we should revisit the question in the morning," Saber said.

"Good call. My head is starting to hurt," Shirou added.

"Fiiine," Rin relented. "We'll continue this tomorrow."

Later, Rin and Akiko were studying in their respective rooms. Shirou was putting dirty clothes away. This left the three Servants alone in the kitchen.

"Now that we are alone, I believe that it is time for us to discuss a large issue," Saber said.

"What's the issue?" Lancer asked.

"About our reasons for wanting the Grail." Saber faced Archer. "Archer, what do you wish for the Holy Grail to grant?"

"...That is something I do not wish to divulge."

Saber cocked her head. "How will we know what worth your wish is if you will not speak of it?"

Lancer sighed. "Just like with yer true name, yer keepin' us in the loop with this, _bowman_." He still couldn't figure out why Archer's is the class he's in, and it frustrated Lancer to no end.

Archer just looked at him from the corners of his eyes. "Like my true name, this is something personal. I should be able to keep them secret."

Saber sighed. "I did not think it would be easy."

Archer looked at her next. "Then are you willing to tell us what your wish is should you win the Grail?"

Saber nodded. "Of course I do, for my wish isn't a selfish one, as I am sure most of the other Servants had. I wish to save my homeland, to save Britain."

"Why? Britain is fine," Lancer pointed out.

"True, it is right now. But not in my time. Under my rule, Britain was conquered and fell."

Lancer rested his chin in one palm. "So yer wish is to keep that from happenin'?"

Saber shook her head. "No, that will not be good enough. Even should the Grail keep them from succeeding that time, they could still do it the next."

"So how are ya gonna keep it from happenin' then?"

"I will wish for someone else to become king instead."

"Hold on," Archer said. "If you do that, you'll be erasing everything you achieved in life."

"Not to mention you'll be erasin' the reason your people died," Lancer added. He was fine with her wanting to change the way Britain turned out happened, but not her changing things going back _that_ far!

Saber looked at him. "What do you mean?"

"Those people fought an' bled an' died fer the Britain _you_ ruled!"

"It was my fault they died! But this way I can correct that mistake!"

"Mistake?! Are ya callin' what they fought fer a mistake?!"

"It was not worth it if what they fought to protect ended up falling in the end."

Lancer took a deep breath to calm himself down. "Babying yer people even after death..." If they die for a cause, then they should be able to. She did her best to keep them from doing that! And it made him want to puke.

She didn't hear him, or at least pretended not to, and was staring at the demigod. "Cu Chulainn, you are in this War to obtain the Holy Grail. Let us hear your wish then."

Lancer closed his eyes and gave a small smile. "The Grail? I have no real desire fer it."

Saber looked surprised. Archer only glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. "No desire?! Then why are you participating in this War?!"

"I just want to fight is all. But as my Master desires the Holy Grail, I will help her win it at any cost." He opened his eyes. "There was a good list of promises I broke in my first life. I want to at least keep the vow to her I made when I was summoned, to be her sword."

Saber sighed angrily. "You only wish to fight? Then you are no more than a common savage, a barbarian that takes pleasure in the suffering of others."

"Hey! I don't fight without reason!" Lancer exclaimed. "In my first life, I fought fer Ulster! Now, I fight fer Akiko!"

"Say what you will, but you enjoy taking lives. Not saving them."

"Yer a hypocrite! You went out on the battlefield several times in yer first life an' took countless lives!"

"But I did not enjoy it!" Saber shouted back. The two had leaned forward so that they were snarling in each other's faces.

"An' yer sayin' I did?!"

"Of course I am! Isn't that why you constantly took the front lines in battle?!"

"All of us fightin' fer Ulster knew I was the best fighter! So of course I was often the vanguard! An' ya fought in the front lines as well!"

"That was to fight off those who would threaten my kingdom!"

"Isn't that why any warrior fights?! To protect their homeland?!"

"That would be the ideal reason! You claim to have been fighting for Ulster, but I bet some of it was for your own self-gratification!"

"Maybe it was, an' maybe it wasn't! What of it?!"

"If it was, that makes you nothing more than a beast, hungry for blood! Like when you tried to kill Shirou!"

"I was followin' rules!"

"How long will you use that as an excuse?!"

"What?!"

"You could have ignored him, but you hunted him down anyway! You just wanted human blood on your spear for the first time since you've been summoned!"

"Yer wrong! I - " She was totally wrong about that! She was wrong! She was wrong was wrong was wrong was wrong...

"You would even take the lives of your best friend and son for just the pleasure of spilling fresh blood!"

Lancer growled dangerously and looked at Saber like he would an enemy. "You've just crossed the line, lady!" His right hand went back and Gae Bolg materialized in it. He was gripping it so hard that blood dripped from his palm to the floor. "Don't pretend ya know what was goin' through my mind durin' those two times!" He was baring his fangs. He actually looked like he was going to attack Saber. Archer grabbed him before he did.

"Both of you, calm down! Lancer, maybe you should go to another room to cool down."

"Hmph!" Lancer stood up and dematerialized Gae Bolg, heading for the door with his hands in the pockets of his pants. He grabbed the handle of the door and yanked it open. He glared back at Saber. "Don't erase the reason yer men died!" With those words, he went through the door and slammed it shut behind him. He made a beeline for his and Akiko's room, grumbling "What a cunt!" the whole way. He threw the door to the room open, making Akiko jump and snap her head in his direction. The book she was reading ended up hitting the floor.

"Goddamn it!" he shouted.

"Whoa! Hey, what's wrong?!" Akiko demanded. Lancer just growled something under his breath, glaring out the doorway before yanking the bedroom door shut behind him, hard enough that Akiko was afraid the man would break it off.

"Damn that Saber!" he snarled as he went over to the futon, plopping down at the center of it and rubbing his temples with both hands. Akiko hesitated, unsure if she should talk to the demigod while he's like this, but decided to in the end.

"Did something happen?"

Lancer released a heavy sigh, still rubbing his temples. "It's nothin'."

"Don't lie to me. I can tell something's troubling you. Does it have something to do with Saber?" Akiko remembered the warrior cursing the other Servant when he stormed in here.

"Okay, fine. Saber just got to me is all."

Akiko dared to get near him, sitting down right next to the man on his right and placing her left hand on his shoulder, Luckily, Lancer didn't try to pull away as the mage thought he was angry enough to do. Instead, his tense shoulders relaxed and slumped. "Did she say something to offend you?"

"Well, both of us were arguin' about my reason fer wantin' the Grail. She probably wanted to get a big reaction from me to even out what I was sayin' to her. An' also what I said about her wish probably played a part. Anyway, she said I only killed Ferdiad an' Connla to sate my thirst fer blood. That pushed my buttons big time an' Archer broke us up 'fore things could get ugly."

"Do you want me to break the alliance with Tohsaka and Emiya so you don't have to be friendly with Saber?"

"No. Both of us were at fault. We'll probably avoid each other, but we shouldn't call off the alliance. This was only one incident, after all. An' we still have to take care of Berserker. We'll need all three of us Servants together fer that."

Akiko leaned over and planted a kiss on Lancer's right cheek. "Well, if you say so. But if you ever want the alliance to end, just tell me."

Lancer breathed out heavily, calming himself down. "Thanks, Akiko."

* * *

 **[1] Question that keeps coming up in Tales of Berseria. I took it. Sue me. But it's a question that can make you think hard for an answer.**


End file.
